A suicide bomber detonated explosives in the Afghan capital on Monday afternoon, resulting in the deaths of six people and injuries to thirteen others. The attack occurred in the Qala-e-Bakhtiar area, near the Attorney General’s Office in Kabul’s southern outskirts.
The explosion has been confirmed by the Taliban regime’s Interior Ministry, though no immediate claim of responsibility has been made for the incident. Khalid Zadran, a Kabul police spokesman, reported that “a person wearing explosives on his body detonated”, with one of the fatalities being a woman. He assured that the injured were promptly transferred to hospitals and that investigations are ongoing.
Despite a general decline in violence since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, Afghanistan continues to experience sporadic attacks. The regional chapter of the Islamic State remains active, contributing to ongoing instability. The last suicide attack claimed by this group occurred in March in Kandahar, a city long considered a Taliban stronghold. Officially, the Taliban reported only three fatalities from that attack, though hospital sources indicated the death toll was significantly higher.
Taliban authorities have repeatedly emphasized their commitment to security since their return to power following the chaotic withdrawal of foreign forces. However, while their security operations have reduced the number of militant challenges, the authorities often downplay or delay confirming the details of such attacks.
Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid asserted last month that the Islamic State had been significantly suppressed. “No such groups exist here that can pose a threat to anyone,” he claimed. Despite these assurances, the ongoing presence and activity of the Islamic State and other militant groups continue to challenge the Taliban’s control and security claims.