5 killed, 25 wounded in Kabul rocket barrage

KABUL (Pajhwok): At least five people were killed and 25 others wounded on Saturday morning when a barrage of rockets hit Kabul, officials said.

The rockets were fired from two Mazda vehicles in limits of the 4^th district in Gul-i-Surkh square and Tahia-i-Maskan areas at around 9:00am. One of the vehicles carried a rocket launcher that was torched.

Noorullah Tarakai, deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health, said so far five bodies and 25 injured individuals had been evacuated to hospital.

Tariq Arian, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, said three people were killed and 11 others wounded in the morning barrage of rockets.

Arian said at least 14 rockets struck different parts so of the city, including a house in the 10^th police district, the Burj-i-Barq area of Chahar Qala, Kocha-i-Tahiri, Niamat Plaza, clos to Salam University, Gul-i-Surkh square, Sadarat square, Pul-i-Bagh Omomi, Spin Zar Wat, near the National Archive, 500-Family and Lesa-i-Maryam areas.

Of the rockets, one hit a newly constructed-building in Gul-i-Surkh square and a private hospital named Sana. Two buildings were damaged. Farhad, a doctor at the hospital, said no one had suffered casualties in the incident.

Mohammad, a municipality worker, said he was cleaning the road in the area where the rockets hit.

“The initial rockets were fired from Tahia-i-Maskan and then I came to know that another Suzuki vehicle fired rockets near me and people started fleeing the scene. I hid behind a wastebasket,” he added.

He said no body could be seen in the vehicle, from which the rockets were fired.

Meanwhile, the Taliban denied involvement in the rocket strikes, saying: “We don’t allow firing blind attacks into populated areas.”

sa/mud