Kabul [Afghanistan]: Former National Directorate of Security (NDS) chief and Vice-Presidential candidate Amrullah Saleh survived a major attack on his residence here on Sunday that claimed the lives of at least seven people and left 15 others injured.
“My brother, true son of the Afghan soil and first VP candidate of my electoral team, @AmrullahSaleh2 has survived a complex attack by enemies of the state. We are relieved and thank the almighty that attack has failed,” Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani wrote on Twitter.
The car explosion took place at Shaheed Circle in Kabul’s Police District 4 (PD4) at around 4.40 pm (local time).
According to Afghan journalist Bilal Sarwary, three attackers were involved in the attack.
“At least 3 attackers are involved in this complex attack. A car bomb was detonated. At least 2 attackers there. Afghan Special Forces are now in charge of the operation. The office of Amrullah Saleh was attacked, multiple sources tell me,” he tweeted.
“At least 7 people killed. At least 15 people wounded. I picked up 6 bodies right after a car bomb, a police officer in PD4 in Kabul Cory tells me,” the journalist said in another tweet.
Sources told TOLOnews that the blast was a car bomb targetting the office of Afghanistan Green Trend, a political movement run by Saleh, who is also a former National Directorate of Security (NDS) chief.
Saleh, who Ghani’s running mate, is a vocal critic of Pakistan and its manipulation of Afghanistan through the Taliban.
Many believe that Saleh’s inclusion in the presidential electoral team helped bolster Ghani’s prospects among the country’s minorities.
Saleh has survived several attacks by the Taliban and the latest incident is suspected to be the group’s handiwork.