A suspected suicide bomber was killed early Friday morning near a traditional buzkashi field in Kunduz City, according to Taliban police spokesman.
Jumauddin Khaksar, spokesman for the Taliban police command in Kunduz, said the blast occurred at around 7:30 a.m. local time in the Shahrak-e Sar Darrah area of Police District 8. He said the attacker detonated explosives prematurely and died at the scene. No other casualties were reported.
An investigation is underway, and no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attempted attack.
The incident took place near a buzkashi event — a traditional Central Asian equestrian sport — which often draws large crowds.
The Taliban, who now rule Afghanistan, have faced growing security challenges from extremist groups such as the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), which has carried out attacks targeting Taliban officials and civilians since their return to power in August 2021.
During their years of insurgency before returning to power, the Taliban themselves claimed responsibility for many of the suicide bombings that rocked Afghanistan. Over the past four years, they have even formed a dedicated suicide unit, which has been showcased in parades and official videos since their takeover.
