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Afghanistan blast: Kabul rocked by deadly explosions | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
More than 30 people have died and hundreds more have been wounded in separate bomb attacks over the last 24 hours in the Afghan capital Kabul. | |
A suicide bomber blew himself up near the city's police academy on Friday evening, killing about 20 recruits. | A suicide bomber blew himself up near the city's police academy on Friday evening, killing about 20 recruits. |
A short while later a large explosion was heard north of the airport. | |
In the early hours of Friday, a truck carrying explosives was detonated near an army base in the Shah Shahid area, claiming 15 lives. | In the early hours of Friday, a truck carrying explosives was detonated near an army base in the Shah Shahid area, claiming 15 lives. |
The Taliban has claimed only one attack - the suicide bombing of the police academy. | |
President Ashraf Ghani has suggested that the group is seeking to divert attention away from its leadership struggles. | |
Officials said Friday evening's suicide bomber was dressed in police uniform when he detonated an explosives-laden vest outside the gates of Kabul's police academy. | Officials said Friday evening's suicide bomber was dressed in police uniform when he detonated an explosives-laden vest outside the gates of Kabul's police academy. |
He had stood among a queue of police cadets who were waiting to enter the building having returned from their two-day weekend, officials said. | |
At least 25 cadets were wounded. | |
Observers say the attack on the police academy marks a serious breach of security in an already heavily-fortified city. | |
Just two hours after this attack, there was a massive explosion that could be heard across much of Kabul. | |
The blast came from north of the airport, close to an area housing several military bases and training facilities, the BBC's Philip Palmer reports from the Afghan capital. | |
The blast was followed by heavy gunfire, and military jets could be heard flying overhead. | |
A truck bomb, which went off in the early hours of Friday, also caused a massive explosion - damaging buildings and leaving an enormous crater in the road. | |
A security source told Reuters that the target was probably a nearby army compound. | |
Most of the casualties were civilians. Injured people including women and children were rushed to hospital for treatment, and some bodies were feared buried in the wreckage of shops and businesses. | |
These attacks - along with Thursday's suicide bombing in eastern Afghanistan that killed six people - are the first major incidents since the Taliban confirmed last week that its leader, Mullah Omar, was dead. | |
On Monday the Afghan Taliban released a video which they said showed members of the group pledging allegiance to the new leader, Mullah Akhtar Mansour. | On Monday the Afghan Taliban released a video which they said showed members of the group pledging allegiance to the new leader, Mullah Akhtar Mansour. |
But there is speculation of a power struggle and violent infighting within the military group, between supporters and opponents of Mansour. | |
Such infighting has led to fears for fragile peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government, aimed at ending the long-running violence. | |
Are you in Kabul? Did you see or hear the explosion?Let us know about your experiences. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories. | Are you in Kabul? Did you see or hear the explosion?Let us know about your experiences. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories. |
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |