KABUL, Afghanistan — Back to back suicide bombs claimed by the extremist Islamic State group exploded Monday morning near an Afghan security compound in a highly secure area of the Afghan capital, killing at least 25 people, including journalists, police said.

The second blast came as news photographers and crews were rushing to the scene, and at least seven journalists were killed, the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee said.

Agence France-Presse identified one of the dead as Shah Marai, its chief photographer in Kabul. The Afghan Journalists Safety Committee said other victims included a cameramen and journalists for local TV stations.

Hours after the attacks, the local branch of the Islamic State group posted a statement online saying two of its “martyrs” carried out an attack on the Afghan intelligence services in Kabul.

The attack took place in the Shash Darak neighborhood, which is the site of a number of embassies and the NATO headquarters.

The first blast left at least five people dead and four others wounded, according to police. The second was more powerful, and appeared to follow a pattern of double bombings intended to draw people to the site and inflict greater harm.

The second suicide bomber was on foot, a police official said, and mingled among the crowd of journalists who had gathered after the first blast.

Police spokesman Hashmat Stanekzai told the Associated Press that 25 were killed and 45 wounded.

The attack came just over a week after a massive suicide bombing occurred outside a voter ID registration center, killing more than 50 people. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack.

Monday’s attack also came days after Taliban insurgents announced the launch of their annual spring offensive, dimming hopes for peace talks recently proposed by the government. The group said it would target Afghan and foreign security forces but would avoid civilian casualties.

The rival extremist Islamic State group, however, has made targeting civilians a key part of its strategy.

Follow the Bangor Daily News on Facebook for the latest Maine news. </s> KABUL, Afghanistan — A coordinated double suicide bombing by the Islamic State group hit central Kabul on Monday morning, killing at least 25 people, including eight journalists, officials said. An AFP photographer and a cameraman for a local TV station were among the fatalities, the police said.

At least 45 people were wounded in the twin attacks, according to Kabul police spokesman, Hashmat Stanekzai, who also added that four policemen were among those killed.

The attack was the latest in a relentless string of deadly large-scale bombings and assaults that have struck Kabul and elsewhere in Afghanistan so far this year. And as the Afghan capital reeled from Monday’s assault, a suicide car bombing a few hours later in the southern province of Kandahar killed 11 children, a police spokesman said.

In a statement posted on an IS-affiliated website, the Islamic State group said two of its martyrdom seekers carried out the double Kabul bombings, targeting the headquarters of the “renegade” Afghan intelligence services.

The blasts took place in the central Shash Darak area, home to NATO headquarters and a number of embassies and foreign offices — as well as the Afghan intelligence service.

Stanekzai, the police spokesman, said the first suicide bomber was on a motor bike. The second explosion was meant to hit those rushing to the scene of the attack to help the victims of the first blast, he added.

The second attacker was on foot, in a crowd of reporters that had rushed to the scene of the first attack, pretending to be one of the media, the spokesman said. The bomber then detonated his explosives while still among the reporters, Stanekzai said, adding that the attacker obviously intentionally targeted the journalists.

Agence France-Presse said the news agency’s chief photographer in Kabul, Shah Marai, was among those killed. AFP said Marai died in a blast that struck journalists who had rushed to the scene of the earlier suicide attack .

A local media watchdog, the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee, said eight Afghan journalists were killed and six were wounded. The group strongly condemned all attacks against journalists.

Sediqullah Tawhidi, an official form the committee, said a cameraman form the local TOLO TV also was among those killed. Police officer Jan Agha said all the journalists died in the second blast, which also wounded two police officers.

Jawed Ghulam Sakhi, a 28-year-old a taxi driver said “when the explosion happened, everywhere was covered with dust and fire, it was so horrific scene” with bodies and body parts “thrown about on the street and the pavement.”

“I saw journalists covered with blood, this time they targeted the media,” Sakhi added.

Masouda, a young woman who was with her husband nearby, assailed the authorities. Her husband was wounded and was taken to the Wazir Akbar Khan hospital.

“I don’t know who is responsible for all these attacks, every day we lose our loved ones and no one in this government is taking responsibility for the killing of these innocent people,” she said.

Afghan President Asharf Ghani strongly condemned the attacks. The presidential palace released a statement saying that attacks targeting innocent civilians, worshippers inside the mosques, national and democratic processes, reporters and freedom of speech all are war crimes.

The U.S. Embassy also condemned the “savage bombings” in Kabul and reiterated its support for the Afghan people and Ghani’s government in their fight against terrorism.”

“We extend our deepest condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of all the victims, including a number of brave journalists among the dead and injured,” it said, adding that “where media are in danger, all other human rights are under greater threat.”

Kabul chief of police Dawood Amin said the area that was hit was quickly sealed off and authorities were investigating. Mohammad Mousa Zahir, director of Wazir Akbarkhan Hospital, said several people suffering injuries from the blasts were being treated at the hospital.

In its claim of responsibility, the Afghan affiliate of IS, known as Khorasan Province, said the first martyrdom seeker in the attack detonated his explosive vest near the intelligence service in central Kabul, forcing its members to head to the area of the explosion. The statement said the second attacker detonated his explosive vest after that. The statement, which exaggerated the overall death toll as militant claims often do, did not say that journalists were specifically targeted but exaggerated the attacks’ death toll.

In the Kandahar attack, an Afghan official said a suicide bomber targeted a NATO convoy in the district of Daman but killed 11 children from a religious school located by the roadside from where the explosion occurred.

Matiullah Helal, deputy spokesman for the provincial police chief, said 16 people were also wounded, including five NATO soldiers, nine civilians and two policemen. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the Kandahar bombing and no comment from NATO.

The children from the madrasa had gathered around the NATO convoy for fun when the bomber struck, said Abdul Rahim Ayubi, a lawmaker from Kandahar.

The local IS affiliate and the more firmly established Taliban carry out regular attacks around the country, as well as in Kabul, with the Taliban usually targeting the government and security forces and IS targeting members of the country’s the Shiite minority, whom the affiliate perceives as apostates.

The relentless assaults underscore the struggles that Afghan security forces have faced to reign in the militant groups since the United States and NATO concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014. Both groups want to establish strict Islamic rule in Afghanistan.

Last week, an Islamic State suicide bomber attacked a voter registration center in Kabul, killing 60 people and wounding at least 130 others. There were 22 women and eight children among the fatalities.

And the month before, an IS suicide bomber targeted a Shiite shrine in Kabul where people had gathered celebrating the Persian new year. That attack killed 31 people and wounded 65 others. </s> KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan authorities say a suicide bomber targeting a military academy in the capital of Kabul has killed at least six people.

The Interior Ministry says six others were wounded in the bombing on Thursday. A ministry statement says a soldier noticed a suspicious person and approached him, causing the attacker to detonate his explosives near the Mashal Fahim academy.

Ferdus Faramarz, spokesman for the Kabul police chief, says police are trying to get more details about the bombing in western Kabul.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but insurgents have targeted this academy in the past. Both the Taliban and the Islamic State group are active in Kabul and have staged large-scale attacks in the Afghan capital. </s> KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- An explosion in the Afghan capital, Kabul, Monday killed one person and wounded at least eight people, according to Afghan officials.

Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Seddiqi said the explosion did not appear to have been a suicide attack.

Deputy ministry spokesman Najib Danish said the blast appeared to have targeted a minibus carrying a group of employees.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Islamic State group has launched multiple recent attacks in Kabul - including the storming of a military hospital last week in which more than 30 people were killed. </s> KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — An Afghan official confirmed that at least five people were killed when a suicide bomber on foot carried out an attack in the capital, Kabul.

Najib Danish, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said three others were wounded in Wednesday’s blast in central Kabul.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for Wednesday’s attack via the IS-run Amaq news agency.

The attack took place near the country’s Defense Ministry compound, as well as a city police station.

Last month around 50 people were killed after militants stormed a military hospital in Kabul; that attack was also claimed by the Islamic State group. </s> KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A coordinated double suicide bombing by the Islamic State group hit central Kabul on Monday morning, killing at least 25 people, including eight journalists, officials said. An AFP photographer and a cameraman for a local TV station were among the fatalities, the police said.

At least 45 people were wounded in the twin attacks, according to Kabul police spokesman, Hashmat Stanekzai, who also added that four policemen were among those killed.

The attack was the latest in a relentless string of deadly large-scale bombings and assaults that have struck Kabul and elsewhere in Afghanistan so far this year.

In a statement posted on an IS-affiliated website, the Islamic State group said two of its martyrdom seekers carried out the double bombing, targeting the headquarters of the “renegade” Afghan intelligence services in Kabul.

The blasts took place in the central Shash Darak area, home to NATO headquarters and a number of embassies and foreign offices — as well as the Afghan intelligence service.

Stanekzai, the police spokesman, said the first suicide bomber was on a motor bike. The second explosion was meant to hit those rushing to the scene of the attack to help the victims of the first blast, he added.

The second attacker was on foot, in a crowd of reporters that had rushed to the scene of the first attack, pretending to be one of the media, the spokesman said. The bomber then detonated his explosives while still among the reporters, Stanekzai said, adding that the attacker obviously intentionally targeted the journalists.

Agence France-Presse said the news agency’s chief photographer in Kabul, Shah Marai, was among those killed. AFP said Marai died in a blast that struck journalists who had rushed to the scene of the earlier suicide attack .

A local media watchdog, the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee, said eight Afghan journalists were killed and six were wounded. The group strongly condemned all attacks against journalists.

Sediqullah Tawhidi, an official form the committee, said a cameraman form the local TOLO TV also was among those killed. Police officer Jan Agha said all the journalists died in the second blast, which also wounded two police officers.

Jawed Ghulam Sakhi, a 28-year-old a taxi driver said “when the explosion happened, everywhere was covered with dust and fire, it was so horrific scene” with bodies and body parts “thrown about on the street and the pavement.”

“I saw journalists covered with blood, this time they targeted the media,” Sakhi added.

Masouda, a young woman who was with her husband nearby, assailed the authorities. Her husband was wounded and was taken to the Wazir Akbar Khan hospital.

“I don’t know who is responsible for all these attacks, every day we lose our loved ones and no one in this government is taking responsibility for the killing of these innocent people,” she said.

Afghan President Asharf Ghani strongly condemned the attacks. The presidential palace released a statement saying that attacks targeting innocent civilians, worshippers inside the mosques, national and democratic processes, reporters and freedom of speech all are war crimes.

Kabul chief of police Dawood Amin said the area that was hit was quickly sealed off and authorities were investigating. Mohammad Mousa Zahir, director of Wazir Akbarkhan Hospital, said several people suffering injuries from the blasts were being treated at the hospital.

In its claim of responsibility, the Afghan affiliate of IS, known as Khorasan Province, said the first martyrdom seeker in the attack detonated his explosive vest near the intelligence service in central Kabul, forcing its members to head to the area of the explosion. The statement said the second attacker detonated his explosive vest after that. The statement, which exaggerated the overall death toll as militant claims often do, did not say that journalists were specifically targeted but exaggerated the attacks’ death toll.

The local IS affiliate and the more firmly established Taliban carry out regular attacks around the country, as well as in Kabul, with the Taliban usually targeting the government and security forces and IS targeting members of the country’s the Shiite minority, whom the affiliate perceives as apostates.

The relentless assaults underscore the struggles that Afghan security forces have faced to reign in the militant groups since the United States and NATO concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014. Both groups want to establish strict Islamic rule in Afghanistan.

Last week, an Islamic State suicide bomber attacked a voter registration center in Kabul, killing 60 people and wounding at least 130 others. There were 22 women and eight children among the fatalities.

And the month before, an IS suicide bomber targeted a Shiite shrine in Kabul where people had gathered celebrating the Persian new year. That attack killed 31 people and wounded 65 others. </s> KABUL: A suicide attack at a wrestling club in a Shia neighbourhood of the Afghan capital and a second explosion apparently targeting emergency services and journalists killed at least 20 people and wounded 70 on Wednesday, officials said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in Dasht-e-Barchi. Kabul policespokesman Hashmat Stanekzai said the second explosion hit as police were helping victims and a number of journalists were at the site. </s> A burned out vehicle sits at the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, May 31, 2019 (AP)

KABUL: A suicide car bomb exploded early Friday morning in an eastern neighborhood of the capital Kabul, leaving seven casualties, police said.Firdous Faramaz, Kabul police chief spokesman, could not immediately say how many were dead or wounded."It's too early to say what was the target or to say how many of the seven casualties in the bombing have died and how many are wounded," he told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.The attacker struck in the eastern Yakatot neighborhood, where US and NATO forces maintain complexes as well as facilities operated by the Afghan National Security Forces.On Thursday, six people were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside an Afghan army academy and training center, also in the same area but several kilometers (miles) away from Friday's explosion.The Interior Ministry on Thursday said a soldier had noticed a suspicious person and as he approached him, the attacker detonated his explosives near the academy. The soldier's action likely saved lives.No one has taken responsibility for either attack but both the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate have infiltrated the capital in the past. </s> At least one person has been killed and four others wounded in a suicide bombing in the Afghan capital, Kabul, according to government officials.

The explosion took place on Friday near a vehicle belonging to foreign workers in the eastern part of the city, Najib Danish, a spokesperson for the interior ministry, said.

Al Jazeera’s Tony Birtley, reporting from Kabul, said Afghanistan’s interior ministry confirmed the attack was a suicide bombing against “foreign forces”.

“We understand that to be NATO employees who were travelling in convoy,” Birtley said.

Local media reports say one person has been killed, and nine others wounded, in the attack, Birtley added.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the explosion.

The Afghan capital has seen a spate of deadly attacks carried out by the Taliban and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group, whose affiliate in Afghanistan has grown in recent years.

In January, Taliban claimed responsibility for two separate attacks that killed nearly 130 people.

The blast comes two days after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani offered to recognise the Taliban as a legitimate political group, as part of a proposed process he said could lead to talks aimed at ending more than 16 years of war.

On Thursday, Taliban fighters killed at least six policemen in an attack at a checkpoint in southern Afghanistan, officials said.
A suicide bombing near a military training center in the Afghan capital city of Kabul kills 6 people and leaves 6 others injured. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province claims responsibility (Press TV)