KABUL – At least 18 people have been killed in three blasts at the funeral of man killed in Friday’s protests over the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan.
The funeral was for a senator’s son – one of five people killed when police fired on demonstrators at a march in Kabul, according to reports in international media.
The protest followed a bomb attack on Wednesday in which 90 people were killed.
Three blasts hit mourners Saturday at a cemetery in the Khair Khana district, where photos showed bodies and remains strewn on the ground as smoke filled the air.
It was not clear what caused the three explosions at the funeral, and no group has said it was behind them. At least 87 people were wounded, the health ministry said.
Abdullah Abdullah, the chief executive of Afghanistan, was among those gathered for the funeral of Salim Ezadyar, the son of a senior Afghan politician. His office said he was unhurt, Tolo News reported.
Mr Ezadyar was the son of Alam Ezadyar, the deputy speaker of the upper house of Afghanistan’s Parliament.
Several senior Afghan officials attended his funeral, with Mr Abdullah, foreign minister Salahuddin Rabbani and others reporting safe following the bombings.
Earlier, few media outlets reported Afghan President Ashraf Ghani was also present at the funeral
The office of President Ashraf Ghani said he condemned “the outrageous attack on mourners burying the martyred”, adding: “The country is under attack. We must be strong and united.”
Demonstrations were continuing for a second day on Saturday, despite calls from officials to disperse, when the new explosions rang out across Kabul.
About 200 protesters passed the night under two big tents on a road near the presidential palace and the site of Wednesday’s blast, with 200 more joining them during the day.
The diplomatic district, which includes the presidential palace and many embassies, is blocked off and patrolled by armoured vehicles, the BBC reported.
This is a developing story. More updates to follow…
