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Twin Blasts Rock Afghan Parliament, Casualties Unknown | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Afghan policemen keep watch at the site of a suicide bomb attack in Kabul, Afghanistan January 10, 2017. REUTERS/Omar Sobhani


Two loud explosions rocked the Afghan capital of Kabul near parliament offices on Tuesday, killing or wounding scores of people and ending a period of relative calm in the capital.

The attack occurred in a crowded area during the afternoon rush hour as workers were returning home. There was no immediate confirmation of casualty numbers from the police.

Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the twin blasts that targeted a minibus carrying staff from the NDS, Afghanistan’s main intelligence agency.

The target of the blasts was probably an area that includes government and lawmakers’ offices, according to Sediq Sediqqi, spokesman for the Interior Ministry. The first explosion, carried out by a suicide bomber, was quickly followed by a second, caused by car bomb parked near the same site, he said.

Sediqqi said there were casualties but that exact numbers remain unclear. Public health ministry spokesman Ismail Kawasi only confirmed that three wounded civilians were brought to hospital.

Earlier in the day, a suicide bomber on foot struck in southern Helmand province, killing at least seven people, said Gen. Agha Noor Kemtoz, the provincial police chief. The target of the attack was a guesthouse used by a provincial intelligence official in Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand, said Kemtoz.

Those killed include civilian and military personnel, and six others were wounded in the attack, Kemtoz added. A car full of explosives was found nearby.

No one claimed responsibility for the Helmand attack but the Taliban frequently use suicide attacks or roadside bombs to target government officials and Afghan security forces across the country.