News / Afghanistan

Blasts rock Afghan capital, injure three

Wednesday, 25 April 2018 5:02 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 25 April 2018 5:05 PM ]

People inspect the site of a bombing outside a voter registration center in Kabul, Afghanistan, April 22, 2018. (Photo by AFP)

At least three people have been injured as twin explosions rocked the Afghan capital of Kabul amid preparations for the country’s long-delayed legislative elections.

The blasts occurred near a large mosque in the center of Kabul on Wednesday during the evening rush hour as many people were leaving work, officials said. But there were conflicting reports about the cause of the explosions.

Security personnel near the site of the incident said an unknown assailant threw a hand grenade at a police checkpoint before escaping on foot.

However, the public health ministry reported that the blast was caused by two magnetic bombs and three people were injured. Police also said a domestic gas bottle had exploded.

The explosion occurred while Kabul is on high alert following Sunday's bomb blast that targeted a voter registration center and killed nearly 60 people in the west of the city.

Voter registration centers have been set up across Afghanistan ahead of long-delayed parliamentary and district council elections due to be held in October, and there had been serious concerns that militants might attack them.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Taliban militant group announced the start of their annual spring offensive. It said the offensive was partly a response to US President Donald Trump’s new “strategy” for Afghanistan, which is to double down on US-led military operations in the Asian country.

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