Identify Perpetrators of Suicide Attack on Russian Embassy In Kabul, Says Moscow

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) stated that a 5.3-magnitude earthquake shook the areas near the city of Jalalabad on Monday morning.

Mohammad Nasim Haqqani, the spokesperson of the Taliban Natural Disaster Management Authority, said that the initial reports of casualties from the earthquake were six people dead and nine injured.

Afghanistan is still dealing with the consequences of a severe earthquake in June that killed more than 1,000 people in Khost and Paktika provinces.

A higher death toll is expected, with various media outlet reports saying that between eight and 10 people had been killed, while some security sources have stated that more than 20 people have been killed and wounded in the blast.

Earlier, Russian state-owned news agency RIA reported that a diplomat and an embassy security guard had been wounded in the bombing which occurred near Darulaman Road in western Kabul.

RIA said the explosion went off when a Russian diplomat came out to people waiting outside to call out the names of candidates for visas.

According to a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry, the explosion occurred 'in the immediate vicinity of the entrance to the consular section of the Russian Embassy' in the Afghan capital.

“An unknown militant set off an explosive device,” the ministry said. “As a result of the attack, two members of the diplomatic mission were killed, and there are also victims among Afghan citizens.”

Khalid Zadran, Taliban’s spokesperson for the Kabul police, said at least one civilian was killed and that 10 others were wounded. Zadran said an investigation was underway, and that the area was blocked off by police.

Taliban officials had earlier said that a suicide bomber had detonated explosives near the entrance of the Russian Embassy in Kabul, adding that the attacker was shot dead by armed guards as he approached the gate.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the explosion.

Several residents of Kabul's district 6 told Afghanistan International that around 10:50 am, a strong blast wave jolted their homes.

UN Secretary-General in a tweet stressed that girls belong at the school.

It has been more than a year since the Taliban, banned Afghan girls from continuing their secondary education in Afghanistan.

Despite domestic and international demand to reopen secondary schools for Afghan girls, the Taliban has not shown any signs or desire to relent.

Earlier during a security meeting in Islamabad, Khalilzad had said that in the current political structure, the Taliban has not acted according to the Doha agreement.

He had said that according to the Doha Agreement, an inclusive government should be established through negotiations.

The formation of an inclusive government is one of the main demands of the international community from the Taliban.

However, the Taliban claim that they have an inclusive government in place and have sought recognition from the international community.

In an interview with TOLOnews Khalilzad, however, said that the Taliban must reconsider their decisions, including the closure of girls' schools in Afghanistan.

The former US diplomat emphasised that the Taliban should not miss this opportunity.

Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesperson of the Taliban, said that these statements were Khalilzad’s personal opinion.

Otunbayeva succeeds Deborah Lyons of Canada and was the President of the Kyrgyz Republic from 2010-2011.

She has over 35 years of professional experience in leadership, diplomacy, civic engagement, and international cooperation and held several senior diplomatic positions.

Otunbayeva has also served with the United Nations as Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) (2002-2004).