DHAKA: The Taliban have killed at least 24 people and wounded dozens more in a suicide bomb attack against a bus carrying government employees in the Afghan capital Kabul, reports The Gurdian.

The attack happened in the western part of the city during rush hour, and mainly killed employees of the Afghan ministry of mines and petroleum, according to Kabul police.

However, the Taliban, in a statement taking responsibility for the attack, claimed to have targeted a bus carrying personnel working for the government intelligence agency.

The attack comes after a large popular demonstration, planned for Monday (July 24), was cancelled one day prior due to security threats.

A previous protest, exactly one year ago, organised by the so-called Enlightenment Movement, a coalition of civil society activists fighting for better rights for the Hazara minority, was attacked by suicide bombers who killed at least 80 people.

Monday’s protest was cancelled after organizers met on Sunday (July 23) with President Ashraf Ghani, his national security adviser and the deputy interior minister, General Ali Murad, himself a Hazara.

It was unclear whether the attacker had initially intended to target the protesters, but a Western official said reports suggested that he had been, and was re-directed to “a target of opportunity” when the demonstration was cancelled.

The bomb went off close to the home of Mohammad Mohaqeq, a prominent Hazara politician and deputy to the government’s chief executive, stated Kabul police authority.

BDST: 1212 HRS, JUL 24, 2017
SI