19 dead after explosion at cricket tournament

At least 19 people were killed in an explosion during a cricket tournament in the Afghan capital Kabul on Friday afternoon, according to the United Nations (UN).

19 dead after explosion at cricket tournament

At least 19 people were killed in an explosion during a cricket tournament in the Afghan capital Kabul on Friday afternoon, according to the United Nations (UN). Numerous others were injured. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Twitter on Saturday that he "strongly condemned the attack".

According to Afghan police spokesman Khalid Zadran, the explosion happened in the grandstand. The spectators included representatives of the United Nations. However, none of them were injured or killed, as a UN spokesman for the German Press Agency reported.

The Taliban, who have ruled Afghanistan again since August 2021, did not report any fatalities. A spokesman for the militant Islamists only said on social media that any speculation about the rise of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist militia in Afghanistan was wrong. However, according to a recent UN report, most of the attacks on civilians since the Taliban took power have come from IS.

The Afghan cell of the IS calls itself "IS-Khorasan" (IS-K). There have been a series of attacks in Afghanistan since the Taliban took power in August. The IS-K, which rivals the new rulers, has also claimed responsibility for earlier attacks.