Taliban claims responsibility for suicide bombing at campaign rally in Charikar, as well as for separate blast in Kabul.
At least 26 people have been killed and more than 40 wounded when a suicide bomber on a motorcycle targeted an election campaign rally by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who is reported to be safe and unharmed.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s attack in Charikar, the capital of Parwan province, north of Kabul.
Nasrat Rahimi, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, said the death toll of 26 included four soldiers. At least 42 people were wounded.
Abdul Qasim Sangin, head of Parwan hospital, said children were among those killed and there were fears the number of victims could rise.
The suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden motorcycle into the entrance of the venue hosting Ghani’s rally.
The president was present at the time of the explosion but is safe and unharmed, his campaign spokesman, Hamed Aziz, was quoted as saying by The Associated Press news agency.
In a separate incident just hours later, another explosion went off near Kabul’s Green Zone, where the defence ministry, US embassy and NATO headquarters are located. The Taliban also claimed responsibility for the blast in Afghanistan’s capital, saying it was also a suicide attack.
Authorities initially did not give casualty figures, but later said 22 people had been killed and a further 38 wounded. Rahimi, spokesman for the interior ministry, confirmed the death toll.
Across Afghanistan, attacks have continued as the country prepares for a presidential election later this month.
The Taliban has warned that its fighters will intensify their campaign against the Afghan government and foreign forces to dissuade people from voting in the September 28 vote, when Ghani will bid for a second five-year term.
