‘Everyone was fleeing the site’: At least six people killed in Kabul bombing

The Russian Foreign Ministry and Afghan officials have confirmed that two Russian embassy staff members were among six people who were killed in a suicide bombing near the entrance of the Russian embassy in Kabul.

The attack was claimed by the Islamic State militant group.

“As a result of the attack, two employees of the diplomatic mission were killed and there are also victims among Afghan citizens,” the ministry said.

“I went to the Russian embassy to get a visa. We were sitting outside. 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 to the ground, “a man called Faiz Mohammad told Reuters.

Ahmad Samir, a boy who suffered head injuries in the blast, said “There were so many injured people around, everyone was fleeing the site”.

According to the police, the attacker was recognised and he was shot. “The suicide attacker, before reaching the target, was recognised and shot by Russian embassy [Taliban] guards,” said Mawlawi Sabir, the head of the police district.

Police said the attacker was shot dead by armed guards as he approached the embassy gate.

The bombing appeared to be the first to target a foreign diplomatic mission in Kabul since the Taliban takeover in 2021.

Russia is one of the few countries to have maintained an embassy in Kabul after the Taliban took over the country more than a year ago.

It is pertinent to mention that Moscow does not officially recognise the Taliban’s government, however, they have been in talks with officials over an agreement to supply gasoline and other commodities.