Civilian, Security Force Member Killed in 2nd Kabul Blast

The blast happened about 12:00pm local time after an IED exploded on an army vehicle in Jangalak area in PD7 of Kabul city.

At least one civilian and a security force member were killed in a blast on an army vehicle in Kabul on Monday afternoon, Kabul police said in a statement.

The blast happened about 12:00pm local time from an IED hitting an army vehicle in the Jangalak area of PD7 of Kabul city, the statement said.

However, the police have not provided further details about the blast.

No group including the Taliban immediately claimed responsibility for the blast.

Also, a blast targeted an armored vehicle belonging to Khushnood Nabizada, head of the office of the state minister for peace affairs this morning, but there were no casualties, security officials said.

The incident happened around 7:26 am local time in the Shaheed roundabout in Kabul in PD10 after Nabizada’s vehicle was hit by an IED, the security forces said.

Nabizada and two of his children were in the vehicle when the blast happened, but no one, including his driver, was hurt, said relatives.

Nabizada is also founder of the Khaama Press, an online news agency in Afghanistan.

Today’s targeted attack in Kabul against a senior official involved in the peace process “is another deplorable incident, akin to an attack on the peace process itself,” UNAMA said.

UNAMA condemned this attack and “all attacks against civilians” and urged the “Afghanistan peace talks to move forward.”

The EU Delegation and the diplomatic missions in Afghanistan in a joint statement released on Sunday condemned the targeted killings and kidnappings in the country.

The EU Delegation and the diplomatic missions of Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States said that the continuation of assassinations, kidnappings, and destruction of vital infrastructure – all which directly harm the Afghan people.

“The violence is targeted at civil society, judicial, media, religious, medical and civilian government representatives who are essential to a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan,” it said.

“The Taliban bears responsibility for the majority of this targeted violence, and its attacks undermine state institutions and contribute to an insecure environment in which terrorist and criminal groups are able to freely operate,” it said.

The Taliban has rejected their involvement in the targetet killings.

The statement has called on the government of Afghanistan to more actively and transparently investigate these attacks to ensure that those who instigate and carry out violence against the population are identified and brought to justice.

The statement also said that the Taliban “must understand that their violent, destructive actions outrage the world and must cease if peace is to come to Afghanistan.”

Five journalists and three civil society activists have been killed in various incidents since November 7, while a number of attacks has been reported against government employees in different provinces of the country.