KUNDUZ, Afghanistan — A powerful explosion outside a Kabul Bank branch in the northern city of Kunduz on Tuesday morning killed at least 21 Taliban members and injured more than 30 others, local sources said.
The blast occurred around 8:30 a.m. local time, and among the dead was Zakariya, a Taliban security commander for the Kunduz city’s fourth district, according to a reliable source.
The bodies of those killed have been taken to the Taliban’s 217 Omari Corps clinic, sources added.
Taliban confirmed the explosion but did not provide further details on the number of casualties.
Local Taliban officials have warned that the death toll may rise as some of the wounded remain in critical condition.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The explosion comes amid heightened security concerns, as the Taliban had previously warned their fighters to avoid visiting banks to collect salaries due to potential security threats.
