Suicide bombing near Russian embassy in Kabul, casualties reported

Afghan police said on Monday that a suicide bombing took place near the gate of the Russian embassy in Kabul.

The number of fatalities after a bombing outside the Russian embassy in Kabul was announced as six by the authorities, two of them which were Russian employees and four were Afghan civillians.

Nearly a dozen others were wounded.

"On September 5, at 10:50 am Kabul time [0620 GMT], an unidentified terrorist activated an explosive device in the direct vicinity of the entrance to the consular department of the Russian embassy in Kabul," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The Foreign Ministry in Russia doesn't comment on names, but a news agency close to the Kremlin said a diplomat and a security guard died.
Kabul police spokesperson Khalid Zadran said that a suicide bomber wanted to blow himself up among a crowd near the Russian embassy in Kabul. "Security forces targeted the suicide bomber before he could reach his intended goal, which caused an explosion," Zadran added.
The blast happened as an employee of the embassy was reading the names of Afghans waiting at the gate for visas, a witness told journalists.
The UN diplomatic mission in Kabul condemned the attack while urging the Taliban to ensure the safety and security of the people and the diplomatic missions in the country.
In a statement, the Taliban's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi said a comprehensive investigation was under way and spoke of further preventive measures. "[The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan] has close relations with the Russian Federation & will not allow the enemies to sabotage relations between both countries with such negative actions," Balkhi said.
Darulaman, a western Kabul neighbourhood, has come under attack many times in the past. On the weekend, there were rumours of explosions in the areas close to the Russian embassy. Reportedly, a senior Taliban official has confirmed that an rocket-propelled grenade landed in the vicinity.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Monday's attack. Since the Taliban's return to power, the Islamic State militant group has carried out a series of deadly attacks in the country.
Moscow says its embassy in Kabul is in close contact with Afghanistan's security services, which are conducting an investigation.
Russia has maintained its diplomatic ties with the Taliban since the former militant group returned to power during the chaotic withdrawal of the US-led NATO forces from the country in August 2021. No country has recognized the Taliban as Afghanistan's de facto government.