Seven killed in Kabul suicide blast near clerics' gathering

KABUL: At least seven people were killed in a suicide bombing Monday near a gathering of top clerics in Afghanistan's capital Kabul, roughly one hour after the group proclaimed such attacks a sin, police said.

The blast in the western part of the city, near universities and a police academy, was claimed by the Islamic State group and is the latest demonstration of the militants' ability to carry out attacks in the heart of Kabul, which is now the deadliest place in the country for civilians.

The bomber detonated at about 11:30 am (0700 GMT) at the gates of Kabul's Polytechnic University, police and officials said. The Loya Jirga tent where thousands of clerics from across Afghanistan were meeting is on the campus.

The tent is a huge venue often used for top religious or government gatherings. "Loya Jirga" means "grand assembly" in Pashto.

Most of the casualties were civilians.

"According to our initial information, seven people have been killed including a policeman. Nine others have been injured, including two policemen," police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai told media.

Interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish confirmed it was a suicide attack, and said the bomber had been on foot when he detonated his explosives at the university gate.

Police spokesman Stanikzai said the blast was outside the tent.

IS claimed the attack via their Amaq propaganda agency.

Both the Taliban and IS have stepped up their headline-grabbing assaults on the heavily fortified capital in recent months.

Roads around the university were quickly blocked by security officials after the blast, with heavy traffic jams building as many commuters headed home due to Ramadan, the holy Islamic fasting month, during which government offices close early.

Shortly after the first blast, a second explosion was heard, but police said it was a sticky bomb in a market several kilometres away which wounded an unspecified number of civilians.