Kabul hit by multiple deadly bombings

There were no claims of responsibility late Friday.

The Taliban distanced themselves from the first bombing that struck near a Kabul military base – as they usually do in attacks that result in a large number of civilian casualties.

The wounded were overwhelming city hospitals, officials said, with reports emerging of blood shortages and urgent appeals for donors circulating on social media.

“Casualties are expected.” Kabul Deputy Police Chief Gul Agha Rouhani confirmed the suicide attack.

The president’s office said 47 women and 33 children were among the casualties.

Shortly afterwards, two explosions hit an area north of Kabul airport.

The news, underlining the deepening divisions in the movement, came as militant sources said clerics were leading meetings in Pakistan, where some Afghan Taliban commanders are in hiding, to try to patch things up.

Attention is now focused on internal tension in the Taliban over the question of succession, as Mansour’s swift appointment by a small council of leaders in the Pakistani city of Quetta has angered others in the group.

The announcement last week that the Taliban leader Mullah Omar is dead should mark an important junction not only for Afghanistan and the Taliban, but also for the Jihadist movement worldwide.

“We are still committed to peace“, he said in a statement. “Last night’s attack was a cowardly terrorist attack against civilians”, said presidential spokesman Sayed Zafar Hashemi.

During a visit with hospitalized victims, Ghani condemned the truck bombing and said it would not go unpunished.

“This attack in a heavily populated area shows a complete disregard for human life”, the embassy said.

Referring to the reported rift in Afghan Taliban ranks, the minister said Pakistan does not want to get involved in the controversy over the organisation’s leadership issue. Other contenders for the leadership might not be so open to a dialogue with the Afghan government, possibly believing that apparent success on the battlefield this year puts victory within sight.

“The peace talks are on ice for the second till the Taliban can provide you with a coherent political voice”, stated Graeme Smith, Afghanistan analyst with the Worldwide Disaster Group.