40 killed in Kabul suicide attack
Kabul: At least 40 people were killed and over 30 injured on Thursday in a suicide attack inside a cultural centre here, the Interior Ministry has confirmed.
The explosion took place around 10.30 a.m. in the Qala-e-Nazar area, Nasrat Rahimi, the ministry spokesman told Efe news, adding that the victims included women and children.
Rahimi said the building where the attack took place also houses the office of the Sada-E-Afghanistan (Afghan Voice) news agency and a mosque.
A ministry official told the BBC that the suicide blast was followed by two other explosions in the area.
The attack has not yet been claimed by any insurgent group.
The Taliban have issued a statement saying that they were not involved.
According to one survivor, social activists had gathered at the centre for a meeting when the blast occurred, reports Tolo News.
The police have said that there were at least three suicide bombers who also used grenades in the attack.
The toll was likely to increase as many of the injured were in critical condition.
On Monday, eight people were killed and two injured in a suicide bomb attack near an office of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) in the capital city's Shashdarken neighbourhood.
The Islamic State had claimed responsibility for the attack.
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Espionage racket busted: YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra among six Indians arrested for spying for Pakistan
New Delhi: Indian authorities have arrested six individuals for allegedly spying for Pakistan, including Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra. Malhotra, who operated the travel-themed YouTube channel "Travel with Jo", is accused of maintaining contact with Pakistani intelligence operatives and sharing sensitive information.
According to a report by India Today, Malhotra had visited Pakistan in 2023 after obtaining a visa through commission agents. During her visit, she reportedly developed a close relationship with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a former staff member at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. Danish was declared persona non grata and expelled from India on May 13, 2025, following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Investigators claim Danish introduced Malhotra to multiple Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs), including an individual identified as Shakir alias Rana Shahbaz. Malhotra allegedly stayed in contact with these operatives through platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat. She is also reported to have saved one contact under the alias “Jatt Randhawa.”
Authorities allege that Malhotra shared sensitive information about key Indian locations with PIOs. She is also suspected of having had an intimate relationship with one of the operatives and travelling with him to Bali, Indonesia. Her YouTube videos have been noted for presenting Pakistan in a favorable light, and she was reportedly in frequent communication with Danish during his tenure in India.
In addition to Malhotra, the arrested individuals include a 32-year-old widow named Guzala from Malerkotla, Punjab. Guzala is said to have visited the Pakistan High Commission in February 2025 to apply for a visa and remained in close contact with Danish, who allegedly promised to marry her and sent her money on multiple occasions. Visas were also arranged for Guzala and her friend Banu Nasreen, another widow from Malerkotla.
A third suspect from Malerkotla and a 25-year-old student from Haryana were also arrested. The student reportedly established contact with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) during a religious pilgrimage and is accused of sharing sensitive military details. Another individual named Arman, a resident of Nuh district in Haryana, was arrested for allegedly supplying Indian SIM cards and transferring funds to Pakistan-based handlers.
