Multiple bomb blasts kill 18 in funeral ceremony in Kabul
At least 18 people have been killed and dozens more injured in the Afghan capital, Kabul, in multiple explosions that hit a funeral ceremony of a young man who had lost his life in deadly protests a day earlier.
According to Afghanistan's Tolo News television channel, three back-to-back explosions tore through the funeral ceremony of Mohammad Salim Ezadyar, the son of Mohammad Alam Ezadyar, the deputy speaker of the upper house of the Afghan parliament, on Saturday afternoon.
The deadly blasts occurred in a cemetery in Khair Khana area, where hundreds of people had come to attend the ceremony. Mohammad Salim was fatally wounded in a violent mass rally in Kabul on Friday, which was staged in protest at a huge explosion on May 31. Protesters accused the government of failure to maintain security in the country.
The Daesh Takfiri terrorist group claimed responsibility for the massive blast of late May, which killed some 90 people and injured scores more. However, no group or individual has yet claimed responsibility for the deadly bomb attacks on Saturday.
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The Taliban militant group issued a statement shortly after the multiple blasts on Saturday and denied any involvement in them.
Security forces have already cordoned off the cemetery area and have warned people not to enter the blast site.
Meanwhile, Deputy Interior Minister Murad Ali Murad vowed that the government would launch an investigation into Friday's violent clashes between protesters and riot police, which left five people dead and 23 more injured.
Security officials in Kabul banned anti-government protests on Saturday, citing the risk of attacks on large gatherings of people. Reports said streets in large parts of the city had been closed, with armed checkpoints set up and armored vehicles patrolling the area.
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