Kabul - At least seven people were killed after a suicide
bomber blew up his explosive vest near the entrance of a government
ministry in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, on Sunday, an official
said.
More than 15 others were injured in the incident that took place
around 4:30 pm (1200 GMT) as the staff of the Rural Rehabilitation
Ministry were leaving at the end of the day, said Hashmat Stanakzai,
a spokesman for Kabul police.
The victims included civilians and Afghan security force members,
Stanakzai said.
Stanakzai added that a foreign forces convoy was also crossing the
area and one of their vehicles was damaged. He said there were no
casualties among those forces.
"So far it is unclear what or who the target of the suicide bomber
was," Stanakzai said.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
This is the second time the ministry has been the scene of a bombing
in just over a month.
On June 11, a suicide bombing in front of the same ministry claimed
by Islamic State left 13 people dead and 25 others injured.
Sunday's bombing is the 13th large-scale attack since January in
Kabul, leaving at least 316 dead and nearly 580 others injured.
A UN report released Sunday that covered January 1 to June 30 said
that civilian deaths due to suicide bombings and improvised explosive
devices have spiked 22 per cent compared to the same period last
year.
According to the UN Assistance Mission (UNAMA) report, the leading
cause of civilian casualties in the country were bombs, which left
427 civilians dead and 986 injured. Islamic State was behind 52 per
cent of the deadly suicide bombings and complex attacks, the report
said.
The UN count is considered a conservative estimate as it needs at
least three independent sources to officially register a case.