A blast targeted the convoy of First Vice President Amrullah Saleh on Wednesday morning in the Taimani area of Kabul city. VP Saleh survived, sustaining only minor injuries, but the MoI said at least 10 people were killed and 16 were wounded, while other sources say the number of casualties–both dead and wounded–is significantly higher, Tolo News reported.
According to details, the attack targeted the convoy of Mr Saleh when he was heading towards his office from his residence.
The attack comes as the intra-Afghan attacks are expected to start within a week’s time, and both Afghan leaders and members of the international community have publicly expressed biting condemnation of the attack.
Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry spokesman, Tariq Arian said that 10 were killed and 16 were wounded in the Kabul blast targeting Saleh’s convoy, and reported that the explosives were placed in a cart and were detonated when Saleh’s convoy passed by. While the other sources said that the number of dead is as high as twenty, and the number of wounded is at least 50.
Former President Hamid Karzai and the Presidential Palace in a statement condemned the attack, while Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, visited Saleh after the incident and issued a statement condemning the attack and calling for a serious investigation.
Whereas, a Baloch leader, Dr Allah Nizar condemned the attack in a statement saying while peace efforts in Afghanistan are moving towards success and in such a critical situation the attack on Amrullah Saleh is in fact a systematic attempt to sabotage peace efforts.
Dr. Allah Nizar Baloch said that it is the same force that has destroyed the peace, prosperity and development of Afghanistan as well as occupied the Baloch land and started our genocide here.
Another Baloch pro-independence leader, Bashir Zeb Baloch tweeted regarding the attack saying “Attack on resolute and sincere Afghan leader Amrullah Saleh is continuity of Punjab’s designs to suppress Afghan people in the region and make Afghanistan its dominion.”