Bomb Explodes Near Russian Embassy in Kabul

An explosion has hit near the Russian embassy in Kabul today, killing at least four people and wounding 24 others, Interior Ministry said.

Tolo TV is an independent Afghan media organization that includes television, radio, and online news affiliates.

“If they do not stop their evil activities this will not be the last attack on them”, said Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, by email.

The Taliban engaged in a slew of attacks in Afghanistan, and particularly Kabul, in recent months, one of which occurred in the embassy district in December of 2015.

The van had reportedly just left the news station to drive TOLO staff to their homes at the end of the day when it came under attack.

The emergence of a free and vibrant media is seen as a major achievement of post-Taliban Afghanistan.

Early reports of Wednesday’s blast suggested the Russian embassy was struck, but the Russian foreign ministry said damage to the building was minimal.

The Taliban said they targeted Tolo TV, Afghanistan’s largest private television channel, because it was producing propaganda for the USA military and its allies.Tolo was attacked for “promoting obscenity, irreligiousness, foreign culture and nudity”, the Taliban said in a statement.

The Taliban have threatened media organizations in the past and in October directly threatened Tolo TV and another popular station, 1TV, purportedly for unfavorable reporting. The Indian and Pakistani missions have also recently been targeted in other parts of the country.

Abdullah Abdullah, the chief executive of Afghanistan’s national unity government, said: “Attacks on innocent civilians have no justifications”.

There was no further information regarding the timing, location or method of attack, the statement said. “By specifically targeting journalists, terrorists have proven once again they have no regard for Afghanistan’s people or future”, said Brig.

The relatively poor, war-torn nation of Afghanistan has been one such locale, with President Ashraf Ghani warning the U.S. Congress last March about the “terrible threat” the group poses to his country and its neighbors.