| Fog of war. Hopefully better numbers will be revealed lated. |
The blast came two days after a jacket wallah killed the Taliban
...Arabic for students...
governor of the northern Balkh province in an attack claimed by ISIS.
The attack on Mohammad Dawood Muzammil in the Balkh historic provincial capital Mazar-e-Sharif on Thursday marked the killing of one of the highest-ranking officials since the Taliban stormed back to power in 2021.
Saturday's blast took place during an event honouring Afghanistan's media at a cultural centre in Mazar-e-Sharif. Police said a security guard was killed and that five journalists were among the maimed.
"I heard a big bang... then there was chaos as everyone was trying to find a way to escape," Afghan journalist Atif Arian, who was maimed in the blast, told AFP.
"Some journalists are seriously maimed."
Balkh police front man Mohammad Asif Waziri said three children were also among the maimed.
Arian said the earth-shattering kaboom happened when a group of children were singing an anthem, minutes after a Taliban official had delivered a speech.
Afghan journalists were regularly targeted before the Taliban reclaimed power, with several attacks claimed by ISIS.
"Targeting journalists during an event to honour news hounds is a despicable and cowardly act," said Beh Lih Yi, Asia programme director at the Committee to Protect Journalists.
"The Taliban must investigate quickly, bring the perpetrators to justice, and end impunity for those who target journalists."
No group has so far claimed the attack.
Violence across Afghanistan has fallen since the Taliban seized control but security has tanked again, with the ISIS claiming several deadly attacks.
Muzammil, the Balkh governor, was killed by a suicide bomber minutes after he arrived at his office in Mazar-e-Sharif.
The group has emerged as the biggest security challenge to the Taliban government since last year, carrying out attacks against Afghan civilians as well as foreigners and foreign interests.
| Tolo News adds: |
Five journalists and three children were among the maimed.
The explosion occurred in Tabyan Cultural Center, where journalists were supposed to be honored in a meeting.
A TOLOnews news hound in Mazar-e-Sharif said that a number of news hounds, religious holy mans, and local officials participated in the conference.
"This morning, around 11:00am in PD 2 of Mazar-e-Sharif at the Tabyan Cultural Center, which belongs to Shia brothers,
| Shia? Probably an ISIS-K project, then. They like killing them some Shiites... |
A TOLOnews news hound was injured at the event.
| And from Khaama Press: |
According to the cultural centre connected to Iran’s Islamic government, "three people were killed and 30 others, including a significant number of journalists, were maimed in this incident."