At least Twelve people were killed and another 32 injured in two blasts rattled a large ceremony in western Kabul on Thursday, with the event abruptly cancelled and sending attendees fleeing — including chief executive Abdullah Abdullah and other leading government officials.
“Stay calm, the area of the blast is far from us,” said former lower house speaker Mohammad Younus Qanooni during a live broadcast of the event.
But moments after the announcement, another explosion could be heard that sent people running for the exit.
A second unidenitifed voice then addressed the screaming crowd, saying: “I request my countrymen to stay calm. The mortar attack is far from the gathering.”
The blasts happened during a ceremony marking the 24th anniversary of the death of Shiite Hazara leader Abdul Ali Mazari that was attended by many of the country's political elite, including Abdullah and former President Hamid Karzai.
Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani — who was at the scene — later tweeted “terrorists launched rocket attacks on commemoration ceremony”, and said he had escaped safely.
There was conflicting information as to the casualty figures in the immediate aftermath of the blasts.
A short while later, Health Ministry official Mohaibullah Zaeer said an initial check of Kabul’s hospitals revealed three people have been killed and 32 wounded in the attack but he said the figures were not final.
Earlier, another official, who was at the ceremony, said seven people were killed and at least 35 were wounded. He spoke on condition of anonymity to talk to reporters. The different accounts on the casualties could not immediately be reconciled.
There was also no claim of responsibility for the explosions. Nusrat Rahimi, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said the blasts were due to mortar shells being fired and that one person has been arrested. Rahimi declined to answer questions on casualties.
Dr Mohammad Faisal, the spokesperson Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Pakistan condemns the "reported rocket attack near a political gathering in Afghanistan that has led to injuries to many people".
There was conflicting information as to the casualty figures.An official with the city’s ambulance services, Mohammad Asim, said five people were wounded in the explosions and were taken to local hospitals. He says more ambulances were at the site.
Another official, who was at the ceremony, said seven people were killed and 10 wounded. He spoke on condition of anonymity to reporters.
The ceremony commemorated the 1995 death of prominent minority Hazara leader Abdul Ali Mazari who was killed by the Taliban. Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and former President Hamid Karzai attended the gathering.
Dr Mohammad Faisal, the spokesperson Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Pakistan condemns the "reported rocket attack near a political gathering in Afghanistan that has led to injuries to many people""Pakistan stands with the people of Afghanistan in their resolve to defeat extremism and terrorism," he said.
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