Bomb attack kills guard, wounds journalists in Afghan north

Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan (AFP):

A bomb blast in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Saturday killed a security guard and wounded a group of journalists, as well as several children, police and a witness said.

The blast took place during an event honouring Afghanistan’s media at a cultural centre in Mazar-i-Sharif. Police said a security guard was killed and that five journalists were among the wounded.

“I heard a big bang… then there was chaos as everyone was trying to find a way to escape,” Afghan journalist Atif Arian, who was wounded in the blast, told AFP.

“Some journalists are seriously wounded.”

Balkh police spokesman Mohammad Asif Waziri said three children were also among the wounded.

Arian said the explosion happened when a group of children were singing an anthem, minutes after a Taliban official had delivered a speech.

Afghan journalists were regularly targeted before the Taliban reclaimed power, with several attacks claimed by the Islamic State group.

The blast came two days after a suicide bomber killed the Taliban governor of northern Balkh province in an attack claimed by Islamic State.

The attack on Mohammad Dawood Muzammil in the Balkh provincial capital Mazar-i-Sharif on Thursday marked the killing of one of the highest-ranking officials since the Taliban stormed back to power in 2021.

Muzammil was killed by an IS suicide bomber minutes after he arrived at his office in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Violence across Afghanistan fell after the Taliban seized control but security has deteriorated again, with Islamic State claiming several deadly attacks.

The group has emerged as the biggest security challenge to the Taliban government since last year, carrying out attacks against Afghan civilians as well as foreigners and foreign interests.