KABUL, Afghanistan — Saturday evening’s explosion in the Dasht-e-Barchi area, west of Kabul, has prompted strong reactions, with some political figures denouncing the attack as un-Islamic and a terror act.
Abdullah Abdullah, former head of the Supreme Peace Council, stated that targeting civilians contradicts Islamic teachings and human values.
Ex-President Hamid Karzai condemned the incident, labeling it a “terrorist, un-Islamic, and anti-human act.”
The Freedom Front linked the explosion, which targeted a civilian vehicle in Dasht-e-Barchi, to the recent increase in arrests, torture, and abuse in the area, blaming the Taliban and allied groups for the violence.
The anti-Taliban group also suggested a connection between recent attacks on Afghanistan’s Shiite and Hazara populations and a violent incident in Kerman, Iran, alleging coordination in Taliban-controlled areas.
Karim Khalili, leader of the Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan, urged the Taliban to swiftly expose those responsible. Khalili warned that failure to identify the perpetrators would implicate the Taliban as complicit.
The UN mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, reported that the explosion resulted in at least 25 casualties within Kabul’s Hazara community. UNAMA urged an end to targeted civilian attacks, increased protection for the Hazara community, and accountability for the attackers.
