KABUL More than 50 people have been killed and over 80 wounded after a huge explosion ripped through a building in Afghanistan’s capital in which a large crowd of people, including religious scholars, were marking the birthday anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh).
Najib Danish, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said a suicide bomber detonated his explosives inside a building where Islamic religious scholars had gathered to commemorate the Milad-un-Nabi.
The victims included religious delegates from various parts of Afghanistan, spokesman said. He said the gathering was convened by the Afghan Ulema Council, the countrys largest religious body, and was attended by hundreds of scholars.
The Afghan television station, Tolo News, citing a number of eyewitnesses, said at least 1,000 people were present in the hall at the time of the explosion, which is the deadliest of such attacks in Kabul in recent months.
Reports said the attacker, wearing an explosives-laden vest, entered a banquet room in the hall, a massive complex housing several large banqueting halls, and detonated his explosives.
Officials at Kabul’s Emergency Hospital told Reuters that at least 30 ambulances had rushed to the explosion site and more than 40 people were critically wounded.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet, but it bears the hallmark of attacks carried out by the ISIS group, which has taken advantage of the chaos in Afghanistan and established a foothold in the war-torn countrys eastern and northern regions.
In a statement, President Ashraf Ghani declared Wednesday a national day of mourning for the victims of the deadly attack, which he described as an unforgivable crime.
Pakistan condemns attack
In the wake of the deadly attack, Islamabad also strongly came forward to condemn act of terrorism, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office.
Perpetrators are condemnable for this heinous attack by all religious and human standards.We condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, the statement reads.
Moreover, Pakistan fully stand with and share the grief of the people of Afghanistan.
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