KABUL, Afghanistan — A blast that shook the southern city of Kandahar on Thursday morning was caused by old, unexploded munitions stored in a container, Taliban officials said, denying earlier reports of an attack.
The explosion occurred outside the Taliban narcotics control department of the provincial police headquarters in Kandahar, according to a statement released by the Taliban’s provincial police command.
Asadullah Jamshid, a spokesperson for the Taliban police in Kandahar, said several security personnel were injured in the incident but did not specify the number of casualties. He added that emergency response and fire brigade teams were quickly deployed to the scene and prevented further detonations.
“The explosion was the result of deteriorated, unexploded ammunition being stored in a container,” Jamshid said.
Residents in Kandahar reported hearing a powerful blast early Thursday in the city center, prompting initial speculation about a possible attack.
The Taliban have often attributed explosions involving military stockpiles or old ordnance to poor storage conditions or remnants of war, particularly in provinces like Kandahar, which have seen years of conflict.
There has been no independent confirmation of the Taliban’s account, and authorities have not released further details about the type of munitions involved.
