At least 20 people died in a suicide bombing in the Afghan capital Kabul on Wednesday. A suicide bomber blew himself up in front of the State Department building.
According to the Taliban, the terrorist wanted to enter the building, but failed. Instead, he blew himself up in the nearby street. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State (IS).
It is not known how the man could have gotten so close to the ministry with his explosives. According to the news agency Reuters the roads around the ministry are heavily secured with additional checkpoints to prevent attacks. The embassies of Turkey and China, among others, are also located in the immediate vicinity.
At least nine people were injured. Authorities fear the death toll will rise further. At the time of the explosion (4:00 pm local time), the road was very busy.
The Taliban, which retook control of Afghanistan last year, has come under more attacks in recent months, often from IS. The Russian and Pakistani embassies and the former prime minister’s office have also been targeted in recent months.
Chinese diplomats are also frequently attacked. Last month, five Chinese were injured in an attack on a hotel in Kabul frequented by Chinese businessmen.
According to the Deputy Minister of Information and Culture, a Chinese delegation was expected at the Farnesina on Wednesday. It is not known whether he was also present at the time of the attack.
