"Following the explosions claimed by the Islamic State in Kabul in recent days, which have killed or injured more than 120 people, the UN family in Afghanistan urges greater security for minorities so that Ashura — a Shia holiday — can be celebrated without further attacks," the mission said on its Twitter account Sunday (August 7) night.
The Islamic State (IS) terrorist group has claimed responsibility for several attacks that have taken place in recent days in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, targeting Shia Muslims.
TOLONews says the latest of these attacks took place on August 7 in Kabul’s Chandawal district, after a magnetic mine embedded under a city bus exploded.
The injured in the incident have been taken to nearby hospitals, although the authorities have not given any further information about the attack, for which so far no one has claimed responsibility.
Saturday afternoon, an explosion on a road in Pol e Sukhta district reportedly killed two people and injured 22 others.
On Friday, another blast in western reportedly Kabul killed eight people and wounded 18 others.
These attacks took place on the eve of the celebration of Ashura, a holiday of Afghanistan's religious minority, the Shiites, which commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Mohammed.
The Khaama Press news agency says the Shia-populated region in the west of Kabul has seen an upsurge in security threats targeting mourners recently.
Meanwhile, the Taliban has reportedly placed restrictions on the Ashura ceremony in the northern province of Balkh, for security reasons.
