Kandahar, stronghold of the Taliban, was rocked by a shocking explosion on Thursday. The blast occurred as Taliban forces were queuing up to receive their salaries near Kabul Bank.
The Taliban's police commander in Kandahar confirmed that three people had been killed and 12 others have been injured due to the explosion in the city's first security district.
Some Taliban members in Kandahar and witnesses have described the death toll due to the explosion as “high”. In fact, some members of the group at the Kandahar police command told Afghanistan International that the casualty figures are higher than those officially announced.
Multiple sources among the Taliban and healthcare workers in Kandahar have put the death toll at 17, with at least 45 others injured.
The Taliban have stated the explosion was the result of a suicide attack, claiming mostly civilian victims. Residents of Kandahar said that the explosion was extremely powerful and could be heard from afar.
A statement released on Thursday by the Taliban's police command in Kandahar reported that the injured had been transferred to the hospital and investigations into the explosion are underway.
No group has claimed responsibility for the explosion yet.
Mirwais Hospital in Kandahar had also announced that the victims of this attack had been transferred there and need blood donations.
Recently, Mullah Shirin, the Taliban’s governor in Kandahar, had advised the group's security institutions to strengthen security measures in Kandahar.
