Russia is one of the rare countries to have maintained a diplomatic representation in Kabul after the return to power of the Taliban, in August 2021.
Le Monde with AFP and Reuters
Two employees of the Russian Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, were killed on Monday September 5, in a bomb attack near diplomatic representation, announced the Russian Foreign Ministry.
“At 10:50 a.m. local hours [8:20 am in Paris], in the immediate vicinity of the Russian embassy in Kabul, an unidentified fighter triggered an explosive device. Two employees of the diplomatic mission were killed in the ‘Attack, “said Russian diplomacy in a statement, also reporting” injured among Afghan nationals “.
The Russian Embassy “is in close contact with the Afghan security services, which have diligent an investigation,” added the ministry. “Here we are talking about a terrorist attack. It is unacceptable,” the Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov quickly condemned during a telephone press point.
A dozen injured
“It was a suicide attack, but before the terrorist could reach his target, he was neutralized by our teams,” said the Afghan Interior Ministry. According to this same source, the individual was aimed at the Russian embassy.
The deflagration took place when a Russian diplomat came out of a building of diplomatic representation to announce the names of the people who can make a visa request, according to this same source.
The Afghan police had previously reported a suicide attack near the entrance to the Russian Embassy, adding that the suicide bomber had been shot by security guards – of the Taliban – after activating explosives. The explosion also made 11 injured, according to the police.
Russia, which does not recognize the new Afghan regime, is one of the rare countries to have maintained a diplomatic representation in Kabul after the return to power of the Taliban in August 2021.