Home GLOBAL NEWS At least 40 killed in attack on Shiite Cultural Centre; IS take...

At least 40 killed in attack on Shiite Cultural Centre; IS take responsibility

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File Photo: An explosiion in Kabul

At least 40 people were killed and dozens more wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a Shiite cultural centre in Kabul on Thursday, officials said.

It was  the latest violence to hit the Afghan capital.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but the Taliban was quick to deny involvement in the assault near the Afghan Voice Agency, a media outlet which earlier reports had suggested could have been the target.

Deputy interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi told AFP the attack was in fact aimed at the Shiite Tabayan cultural centre in the west of the city.

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“The suicide attacker detonated himself during a gathering at Tabayan cultural centre causing a lot of casualties,” Rahimi said.

The main explosion was followed by two smaller bomb blasts that did not cause casualties, he said, adding that the gathering was being held to mark the 38th anniversary of Soviet invasion in Afghanistan.

There were chaotic scenes at the Istiqlal hospital where ambulances brought victims, including women and children. Many of them were suffering severe burns to their faces and bodies, as well as shrapnel wounds, AFP reporters said.

 Meanwhile, the Islamic State, ISIS has claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack on a Shiites cultural centre in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, which left 41 people dead and dozens injured.Two children were among the dead and 84 people were injured in the blast, according to a Health Ministry spokesman.

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The attack rocked the centre in the basement of a building in the west of the city at around 10:30 a.m. (12.30 a.m ET) Thursday.

It also hit the Afghan News Agency, which has an office on the floor above, Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said.

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