The Islamic State (IS) in Afghanistan claimed responsibility for an explosion at the Kabul Bank branch that has killed at least 35 people on Saturday.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack, stating “this nation does not bow to threats and dangers.” “We will fight them to the end,” he added.
Shahidullah Shahid, a former Taliban leader that joined IS claimed responsibility for the attack, identifying the suicide bomber as Abu Muhammed Khurasani. IS affiliated Twitter accounts later tweeted photographs of the attacker.
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Pakistan’s prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, passed on his “condolences on this tragic incident,” saying, “Terrorism is a common enemy of both the countries which are now taking joint steps to eradicate this menace.”
The top United Nations official in Afghanistan, Nicholas Haysom, said the bombing “may amount to a war crime,” adding that “those responsible for this horrendous crime must be held accountable.”
The bombing was also strongly condemned by the Afghan Taliban, with spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid telling Reuters "it was an evil act... We strongly condemn it."
"On ISIS we don’t comment,” added Mr Mujahid. “We haven’t commented on them in the past, and we will not say anything now. We are responsible for the war in this country and that is all we can comment and give views on.”
A spokesperson for the Pakistani Taliban Ehsanullah Ehsan also spoke out against the blast, saying it gave “a bad name to Islam.”
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