Afghan officials probe attacks as death toll rises to at least 50

Afghan security officials began investigating attacks in the southern city of Kandahar and capital Kabul as the death toll climbed to at least 50 on Wednesday (January 11).

The Ministry of Public Health raised the death toll from the Kabul attack to 37, with 98 wounded, while 13 people were confirmed dead in Kandahar. One security official said the death toll from the Kabul incident alone could reach as high as 45-50 with more than 100 wounded.

“The incident which occurred yesterday was a result of some explosives which were placed inside the sofas and exploded. And so 11 people were killed and 18 others were wounded,” said General Abdul Razeq Kandahar chief of police.

“Among those killed were deputy governor of Kandahar, Abdul Shamsi, Afghan diplomat in Washington Mr Aimal as well as some other high ranking officials,” he added.

The violence highlights the precarious security situation in Afghanistan, which has seen a steady increase in attacks since international troops ended combat operations in 2014, with record numbers of civilian casualties.

The Taliban, seeking to re impose Islamic law after their 2001 ouster, claimed responsibility for the Kabul attack, which they said targeted a minibus carrying personnel from the National Directorate for Security, Afghanistan’s main intelligence agency.

But they denied responsibility for the attack in Kandahar which killed mainly government officials or diplomats from the United Arab Emirates who were visiting the city to open an orphanage.

President Ashraf Ghani’s National security adviser, Hanif Atmar, travelled to Kandahar on Wednesday to launch an investigation. Five Emirati officials as well as the deputy governor of Kandahar, Abdul Shamsi, and a number of other senior officials were among the dead.