Two bomb blasts in northern Afghanistan kill at least 9
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Afghan officials confirm that two bomb blasts killed 9 people and wounded 13 in the country's fourth largest city, Mazar-i-Sharif.
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Balkh provincial police spokesperson said 13 people were wounded in the blasts.
Two bomb blasts aboard separate minibusses killed at least nine people on Thursday in Mazar-i-Sharif, police confirmed, a week after a deadly explosion rocked a mosque in the northern Afghan city.
Balkh explosion initial update:
— Aamaj News (@aamajnews24) April 28, 2022
The death toll of Mazar e Sharif explosion is 9, and 13 persons have been injured.#aamajnews pic.twitter.com/pHrLekfGey
Thursday's blasts occurred within minutes of each other in different districts of Mazar-i-Sharif as commuters were heading home to break their Ramadan fast, Balkh provincial police Spokesperson Asif Waziri told AFP.
"The targets appear to be passengers," he said, adding that 13 people were wounded in the blasts.
جزییات ابتدایی انفجار بلخ: انفجار در محله شیعهنشین شهر مزارشریف رخ داده است. منابع به آماج میگویند که این انفجار بر یک موتر نوع تونس داده و تلفات نیز دارد. طالبان تاکنون چیزی نگفتهاند.#آماج_نیوز pic.twitter.com/uVtHsH3Bz3
— Aamaj News (@aamajnews24) April 28, 2022
"The enemies of Afghanistan are creating tension and division among our people," Waziri considered.
No group has so far claimed the bombings. The blasts came just days after a deadly bomb attack at a mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif killed at least 12 worshippers and wounded scores more.
A separate bomb attack at another mosque in the northern city of Kunduz last week killed at least 36 people while at Friday prayers.
In another attack, two bombs detonated at a school in Kabul, killing six students.
Terrorist organization Islamic State (IS) claimed the mosque attack in Mazar-i-Sharif, but no group has so far taken responsibility for the bombing in Kunduz.
Taliban officials insist their forces have defeated IS, but analysts say the terrorist organization is a key security challenge.
Earlier, Afghan government Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP that several arrests had been made in connection with recent attacks.
"These attacks targeted places that did not have enough security like mosques and a school, but now we have stepped up security in such places," he indicated.
