Six people killed in suicide bomber attack in Afghanistan

AFGHANISTAN-BLAST/ Afghan security forces and a British soldier with NATO-led Resolute Support Mission stand guard at the site of a suicide attack in Kabul | Reuters

A suicide bomb attack outside the Marshal Fahim National Defense University in western Kabul, Afghanistan killed at least six people.

“Based on initial information, six people killed, six wounded, police have reached the scene,” said Firdaws Faramarz, Kabul police spokesperson. He added that the bomber was on foot and detonated before he reached his target when a soldier challeneged him.

The attack happened around noon (0730 GMT), a time when students typically leave school early during the month of Ramadan.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing. They even posted a picture of one of its Khorasan Province fighters who it said attacked “trainees in the Afghan army.”

Even as Taliban are holding talks with US in recent weeks, for the possibility of peace in the country, police and security forces have been under frequent attack

The defense training university was opened in 2005 and named after former vice president Mohammed Fahim. It is modeled after US and British war colleges and trains cadets destined to become officers in Afghanistan’s army.

A large annex to the university is home to dozens of NATO troops who mentor the Afghan cadets.

The explosion did not have much affect on operations at the center, which lies behind multiple layers of tight security.