Deadly bombing strikes demonstration in Kabul

A peaceful protest that was carried out in Kabul did not let the Afghan capital remain peaceful.

Self-styled IS has a presence in eastern Afghanistan but has not previously admitted carrying out assaults in the capital.

Afghans gather property left behind by victims of a deadly explosion that struck a protest march by ethnic Hazaras, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, July 23, 2016.

Afghan officials say at least 10 people were killed and dozens more wounded, Reuters reported.

Russian Federation and Brazil have condemned the twin explosions that tore through a demonstration in Afghanistan’s capital city Kabul on Saturday, killing at least 80 people and wounding more than 230.

The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack through the Amaq news agency linked to the jihadist group after the Taliban denied any involvement in the attack.

They were demanding that a new power cable being laid from Turkmenistan to Pakistan via Kabul be rerouted through the province of Bamyan, now not connected the electricity grid.

A spokesman for Ghani told VOA that the attack was an example of how militant groups are picking soft targets to discredit the government.

President Ashraf Ghani vowed to punish those responsible for the terrorist attack.”I will take revenge against the culprits”, he said. As well as the more than 80 dead, some 230 people were injured.

Ahead of Saturday’s rally in Kabul, authorities had blocked main roads to prevent protesters from reaching the city’s centre or the presidential palace. Urgent appeals for blood donors circulated on social media.

As tempers flared at the government, protesters also pushed away antiriot police forces who had provided security earlier in the day.

A suicide bomber detonated his device among the demonstrators while police reportedly shot and killed a second attacker, according to a statement posted on the United Nations website.

Although the report indicates that there were two suicide bombers, the Ministry of the Interior shared that there were actually three bombers working together.

The organizers could not be immediately contacted for comment on Chakhansuri’s statement.

Ghani released a statement condemning the blast.

Afghan officials say the terrorists infiltrated the peaceful crowd to carry out the attack.

The twin blast inflicted the highest toll compared with similar attacks Kabul has witnessed in the past 15 years, and TV footage showed a hellish scene of bodies strewing the street and blood-soaked survivors calling for help.

The attack, described by the top U.N. official in Afghanistan as a “war crime”, drew condemnation and offers of support from countries including Russian Federation and the United States.

The movement also wanted the power line rerouted through Bamiyan, as originally demanded. Numerous leaders did not attend Saturday’s demonstration.

The original plan for the TUTAP power line called for it to be routed through Bamiyan province.

That route was changed in 2013 by the previous Afghan government.

Hazaras suffer discrimination and persecution.