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| Afghanistan: Russian embassy staff killed in Kabul bombing | Afghanistan: Russian embassy staff killed in Kabul bombing |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The attack is the first on an embassy in Afghanistan since the Taliban swept to power | The attack is the first on an embassy in Afghanistan since the Taliban swept to power |
| Two Russian embassy staff are among at least six people killed in a suicide bombing in the Afghan capital Kabul, Russian and Taliban officials say. | Two Russian embassy staff are among at least six people killed in a suicide bombing in the Afghan capital Kabul, Russian and Taliban officials say. |
| Guards shot the attacker dead as he approached the entrance to the consular section, officials said. | Guards shot the attacker dead as he approached the entrance to the consular section, officials said. |
| A number of other people were reported to have been wounded. The Islamic State group said it was behind the attack. | |
| The attack is the first on a foreign mission in Afghanistan since the Taliban swept to power in August 2021. | The attack is the first on a foreign mission in Afghanistan since the Taliban swept to power in August 2021. |
| Earlier, a Taliban official said at least 10 people had been injured. Russia's state-owned news agency RIA reported that a diplomat and an embassy security guard had been wounded. | Earlier, a Taliban official said at least 10 people had been injured. Russia's state-owned news agency RIA reported that a diplomat and an embassy security guard had been wounded. |
| Other media reports put casualty figures higher. As well as the embassy staff, four Afghans waiting for consular services were killed, police said. | |
| A Taliban fighter stands guard in front of the embassy after the blast | A Taliban fighter stands guard in front of the embassy after the blast |
| "This morning, an explosion took place at the Russian embassy in Kabul - four people and two employees of the Russian embassy were killed, and a number of Afghans were injured," a statement from the Taliban police chief's spokesman in Kabul said. | "This morning, an explosion took place at the Russian embassy in Kabul - four people and two employees of the Russian embassy were killed, and a number of Afghans were injured," a statement from the Taliban police chief's spokesman in Kabul said. |
| It added the suicide bomber had been spotted by Taliban personnel guarding the embassy as he approached people gathered in front of the building. | It added the suicide bomber had been spotted by Taliban personnel guarding the embassy as he approached people gathered in front of the building. |
| "He was identified by security and targeted, which caused a blast," the spokesman said. | "He was identified by security and targeted, which caused a blast," the spokesman said. |
| Russia's foreign ministry said "an unknown militant set off an explosive device near the entrance to the consular section". | Russia's foreign ministry said "an unknown militant set off an explosive device near the entrance to the consular section". |
| "Without any doubt, we are talking about a terrorist act, which is absolutely unacceptable," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow. | "Without any doubt, we are talking about a terrorist act, which is absolutely unacceptable," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow. |
| Speaking from hospital, survivors of the attack spoke of the chaos in its aftermath. | Speaking from hospital, survivors of the attack spoke of the chaos in its aftermath. |
| "I went to the Russian embassy to get a visa. We were sitting outside," a man called Faiz Mohammad told Reuters. "The consul came and we showed him our papers, he guided us towards the entrance door of the embassy. Suddenly the blast occurred and I fell on the ground." | "I went to the Russian embassy to get a visa. We were sitting outside," a man called Faiz Mohammad told Reuters. "The consul came and we showed him our papers, he guided us towards the entrance door of the embassy. Suddenly the blast occurred and I fell on the ground." |
| Another man called Wahidullah was close by: "I heard a huge blast. Later I didn't understand what happened to me, I just remember the blast threw me out on the street. My hands and legs were not working, then my cousin ran toward me and brought me to this hospital." | Another man called Wahidullah was close by: "I heard a huge blast. Later I didn't understand what happened to me, I just remember the blast threw me out on the street. My hands and legs were not working, then my cousin ran toward me and brought me to this hospital." |
| Ahmad Samir, a boy who suffered head injuries in the blast, said "there were so many injured people around, everyone was fleeing the site". | Ahmad Samir, a boy who suffered head injuries in the blast, said "there were so many injured people around, everyone was fleeing the site". |
| Russia is one of the few countries to maintain a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan. Moscow does not officially recognise the Taliban's government - no country does. However the two sides have discussed possible Afghan purchases of commodities like wheat, gas and oil from Moscow. | Russia is one of the few countries to maintain a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan. Moscow does not officially recognise the Taliban's government - no country does. However the two sides have discussed possible Afghan purchases of commodities like wheat, gas and oil from Moscow. |
| The Taliban's broken promises | The Taliban's broken promises |
| Peace at a price in the Taliban’s heartlands | Peace at a price in the Taliban’s heartlands |
| Violence in Afghanistan has greatly declined since the Taliban returned to power - under its 20-year campaign to drive US-led forces from Afghan soil many attacks were carried out by Taliban militants themselves. | Violence in Afghanistan has greatly declined since the Taliban returned to power - under its 20-year campaign to drive US-led forces from Afghan soil many attacks were carried out by Taliban militants themselves. |
| However security has been deteriorating in recent months. A string of deadly bomb blasts has mainly targeted mosques and minority communities, many claimed by the militant Islamic State group who see the Taliban as not radical enough. | |
| Last week, a suicide bomber struck one of western Afghanistan's biggest mosques, killing at least 18 people, including an influential imam who supported the Taliban. | Last week, a suicide bomber struck one of western Afghanistan's biggest mosques, killing at least 18 people, including an influential imam who supported the Taliban. |