KABUL (AP) — A bomb exploded near a checkpoint at Kabul’s military airport Sunday morning, killing and injuring “several” people, a Taliban official said, in Afghanistan’s first deadly attack of 2023.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but the regional affiliate of the Islamic State extremist group, known as Islamic State of Greater Khurasan, has increased its attacks since the Taliban came to power in 2021. Its targets included Taliban patrols and members of the country’s Shiite minority.
The military airport is about 200 meters (219 yards) from the civilian and close to the Interior Ministry, which was the scene of a suicide attack in October that left at least four people dead.
The explosion on Sunday caused several and injured people, said ministry spokesman Abdul Nafi Takor, who did not offer exact figures or more information about the incident, noting that details of the investigation would be released later.
Although Taliban security forces prevented photography and filming directly at the site of the explosion, the checkpoint appeared damaged but intact. It is located on the airport road, which leads to high security neighborhoods that house ministries, foreign embassies and the presidential palace.
Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran was not immediately available for comment.
