Suicide bomber kills 2 at Russian Embassy in Kabul

Source: Newsweek

A bomb exploded near the Russian embassy in the Afghan capital Kabul on Monday morning, killing at least two people, officials said.

The explosion happened near the embassy building located in the Darul Aman area, southwest of Kabul, Khaama Press reported.

Russia's Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that at 10:50 am Kabul time, an unknown militant set off an explosive device in the immediate vicinity of the entrance to the consular section of the Russian Embassy in Kabul.

"As a result of the attack, two employees of the diplomatic mission were killed, and there are also victims among Afghan citizens," the ministry said.

Russian state-run news agency TASS cited the Arabic TV channel Al Arabiya as saying that the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber.

Russian news outlet RIA Novosti cited a source as saying that two Russians were injured—a diplomat and a security guard.

There was reportedly a queue for obtaining visas in front of the building at the time of the blast.

"The suicide attacker before reaching the target was recognized and shot by Russian embassy [Taliban] guards," Mawlawi Sabir, head of the police district where the bomb detonated, told the news agency.

The blast comes after an explosion tore through a mosque in western Afghanistan on Friday, killing at least 18 people, including a high-profile pro-Taliban cleric.