Islamic State claims responsibility for attack on Russian Embassy in Kabul

The Islamic State jihadist group has claimed responsibility for the attack perpetrated on Monday in the vicinity of the Russian Embassy in the Afghan capital, Kabul, an incident that resulted in the death of six people, including two workers of the Russian diplomatic legation.

Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) has indicated in a statement released through its propaganda channels that a suicide bomber identified as Uaqas al Muhayir “set off his explosive vest at the Russian Embassy headquarters in Kabul during a meeting of Russian employees, spies and contractors, as well as elements of the Taliban forces.”

Thus, he stressed that the attack resulted in 25 people “killed or wounded” and noted that among the fatalities there are “two Russian officers.” “The explosion also caused damage to the entrance of the Embassy and the destruction or damage to several vehicles, praise God.”

For his part, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims and stressed that “attacks against civilians and civilian objects, including diplomatic missions, are strictly prohibited under humanitarian law,” as indicated by his spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric.

Along these lines, the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan, Thomas West, has condemned the “terrorist attack” and conveyed his “deep condolences” to the families of the victims. “This violence serves no purpose,” he said in a brief message on his Twitter account.

Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdulqahar Balji has also expressed via Twitter his condemnation of the attack and stressed that the authorities “have opened a thorough investigation and will take further measures to protect the embassy and prevent these probable incidents from disrupting activities” at the diplomatic legation.