Twin bombings cause several fatalities in Afghan capital

Separate bombs hit two minivans in a mostly Shia neighbourhood in the Afghan capital, killing at least seven people and wounding six others, the Interior Ministry has said.

The attacks targeted minivans on the same road about 2 kilometres (1.25 miles) apart in a neighbourhood in western Kabul on Saturday, Interior Ministry deputy spokesman Ahmad Zia Zia, said.

It wasn't immediately clear what type of bombs were used and no one immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks. 

The Daesh group has carried out similar bombings in the area, including four attacks on four minivans earlier this month that killed at least 18 people.

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Shia minority group Hazara 

The first explosion killed six people and wounded two and the second explosion in front of Muhammad Ali Jinnah hospital, where a majority of Covid-19 patients are admitted, killed one and wounded four.

The area where the explosions happened is largely populated by the minority Hazara ethnic group who are mostly Shia Muslims.

Shias are a minority in mostly Sunni Afghanistan, and the local Daesh affiliate has declared war against them.

Hundreds of Afghans are killed or injured every month in violence connected to the country’s constant war. 

But Hazaras, who make up around 9 percent of the population of 36 million people, stand alone in being intentionally targeted because of their ethnicity and their religion.

Violence and chaos continue to escalate in Afghanistan as the US and NATO continue their withdrawal of the remaining 2,500-3,500 American soldiers and 7,000 allied forces. 

The last of the troops will be gone by September 11 at the latest.

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