Local sources have confirmed that the number of casualties resulting from the explosion at a Kabul boxing club in the west of the city has climbed to at least seven. This stands in contrast to the figures provided by the Taliban, which reported four casualties.
Reports from sources suggest that dozens more were wounded in the attack, with the majority of the victims being young athletes who were present at the club for training when the explosion occurred.
The Taliban has said that seven individuals were wounded in the attack.
There are claims from some journalists that the Taliban has restricted their access to hospitals, hindering efforts to gather information about the number of victims.
Over 24 hours have passed since the incident, but the nature of the explosion remains undetermined, and no individual or group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The leadership and officials of the Taliban have not issued a reaction to this deadly event in western Kabul.
The explosion occurred at approximately 7:30 pm on Thursday, and the club, located on the third floor of a commercial center, was significantly damaged by the blast, subsequently catching fire.
Eyewitness accounts indicate that there was a program and training session in progress at the kickboxing club when the explosion took place, and ambulances were deployed to the scene.
Footage captured after the incident shows equipment within the club and traces of blood throughout the area.
“One witness said, ‘Ten to twelve people were martyred. When the explosion took place, the students had been dismissed. A few people who stayed there were also martyred,'” noted Mohammad Yasin, an eyewitness.
Another local resident commented, “Seven people were martyred, and more than 20 people were injured. Above and below it, there were sewing and curtain embroidering, which caught fire.”
The victims were transported to Jinnah, Alami, and Istiqlal hospitals in the western part of Kabul, although final statistics on casualties have yet to be released.
Ahmad Farid Hassani, the head of Alami Hospital in western Kabul, confirmed, “As a result of this explosion, six injured individuals have been referred to Alami Hospital, and we had one fatality.”
Tragically, one of the casualties was Najibullah Haidari, a young boxer whose life was cut short during the event at the location in western Kabul.
Aref Rahmani, a former Member of Parliament, stated, “Eyewitnesses say that the martyrs number between seven and nine people, and the wounded claim there were more than 40 people. A large number of athletes had gathered in this club and had plans to lift weights for an upcoming competition.”
Despite a statement from the spokesperson of the Taliban police command, there has been limited official reaction to this tragic incident, especially from members of the Taliban leadership.
As of now, no individual or group has claimed responsibility for the explosion. Nevertheless, it’s important to note that the ISIS Khorasan branch has historically accepted responsibility for similar events in the western region. Additionally, the Azadi Front has alleged that this attack was carried out with support from the Haqqani network, involving both domestic and foreign groups. The Taliban has not responded to this claim.
Razia Barakzai, a civil activist, emphasized, “I don’t allow myself to reduce the great pain of Dasht Barchi to a single word of condolence. Definitely, the solution is to liberate the homeland from terrorism, extremism, and bigotry.”
Questions remain unanswered about the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident. Journalists have reported that the Taliban has imposed restrictions on their access to hospitals, severely limiting the flow of information about the incident.
