JAKARTA - At least six people were killed, including two diplomat staff, as well as ten others injured, when a suicide bomb exploded near the entrance of the Russian Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday.
Police said the attacker was shot dead by armed guards as he approached the gate, in one of the first attacks since the Taliban took power last year.
"The suicide striker before reaching the target, was recognized and shot by the Russian embassy guard (Taliban). There is no information yet about the victim," Mawlawi Samir, the district police chief on the attack, told Reuters.
Meanwhile, Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement an unidentified militant detonated an explosive device near the entrance to the embassy's consular at around 10:50 a.m. Kabul time.
"As a result of the attack, two diplomatic mission employees were killed, and there were also victims among Afghans," the ministry said.
The other four people who died were Afghan civilians Khalid Zadran, a Kabul police spokesman said.
Russia was one of the few countries to defend its embassy in Kabul after the Taliban took over the country more than a year ago.
Although Moscow does not officially recognize the Taliban government, they have held talks with officials on deals to supply gasoline and other commodities.
Separately, the UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) condemned the explosion.
"Given recent events, UNAMA stressed the need for de facto authorities to take steps to ensure the safety and security of the people and diplomatic missions," the United Nations wrote on Twitter, referring to the Taliban government.
During the Taliban insurgency in decades against the western-backed Afghan government, bombings targeting foreign missions were common events in Kabul, especially in recent years, with embassies and hotels strengthening themselves with barbed wire and explosion walls.
Such incidents have declined dramatically since the insurgent group came to power in August 2021. Since then, attacks, some of which have been claimed by Islamic State, especially targeting Taliban and civilian targets such as mosques.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for Monday's explosion.
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