Suicide Bombing Near Kabul Bank in Kunduz Kills at Least Five

A suicide bombing outside a Kabul Bank branch in the northeastern city of Kunduz has left at least five people dead and seven others wounded, according to local police. The attack, which occurred at approximately 8:35 a.m. local time on Tuesday, targeted an area where government employees, including Taliban security forces, had gathered to collect their salaries.

Juma Din Khaksar, spokesperson for the Kunduz police, confirmed the explosion and stated that the victims included members of the Taliban government, bank security personnel, and civilians. “The Kunduz province police command is working with relevant organizations to find the perpetrators of the incident and bring them to justice,” he said. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but similar incidents in the past have been attributed to the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), an affiliate of ISIS.

Eyewitness accounts suggest that the casualty figures could be higher. Noor-ul-Haq, who had just exited the bank before the explosion, told Yaraan News, “There was a huge crowd today because salary payments had been delayed for months. Many Taliban members and other employees were present.” Another witness, shopkeeper Mohammad Anwar, described the aftermath: “The blast was powerful. When we arrived, the area was already cordoned off by Taliban forces. I saw more than 20 people being transported in ambulances.”

Conflicting reports have emerged regarding the death toll. While the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior has confirmed five fatalities, other sources, including local journalists and anonymous Taliban officials, suggest the number of deaths could be as high as 14 to 17. Among the reported victims are a senior Taliban police commander from the city’s fourth security district and a professor from Kunduz University.

This attack comes amid a pattern of violence targeting financial institutions. In March 2024, a similar suicide bombing occurred outside a Kabul Bank branch in Kandahar, resulting in dozens of casualties. The attack was later claimed by ISKP, which has intensified its insurgency in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021.

The bombing also raises concerns about Afghanistan’s security situation, despite Taliban claims of having significantly weakened ISKP operations. Just a day before this attack, the United Nations Security Council held a special session discussing the rising threat posed by ISKP in the region. U.S. representative Dorothy Shea warned that the group continues to recruit new members and remains a significant security threat in Afghanistan and beyond.

As investigations continue, Kunduz authorities have yet to make any arrests. Security forces have tightened measures around the blast site, and access remains restricted.