Bombing At Afghan Interior Ministry Mosque Kills 4

Facts

• On Wednesday, a Taliban-appointed spokesman said that a bombing in a mosque on the grounds of Afghanistan's Ministry of Interior compound in Kabul claimed the lives of at least four worshippers and injured another 25.¹
• Visitors and some ministry employees were praying at the mosque when the blast went off, reportedly caused by a suicide bomber who detonated a device.²
• An investigation has been opened, and Taliban forces have been guarding a hospital run by the Italian NGO 'Emergency,' which allegedly received 20 patients from the explosion.¹
• Though nobody has yet claimed responsibility for the bombing, the Islamic State (IS) militant group has allegedly carried out several deadly attacks in the area, targeting Shia mosques, girls, and schools.³
• This comes after a suicide attack on an education center in Kabul last week killed at least 53 people. According to the UN, 46 of the victims were girls and women.¹
• Security has been a top priority to the Taliban since its takeover in August 2021, reportedly leading to a reduction in violence. Over the past months, however, attacks have been mounting nationwide.³

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera, ²DW and ³DAWN.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by The National Interest. Since the Taliban took over, Afghanistan has increasingly descended into chaos. The looming humanitarian catastrophe and economic collapse provide the perfect breeding ground for terrorist groups, not only posing a growing threat to innocent Afghans but also targeting the international community. To prevent further destabilization, a UN peacekeeping force is required to promote a peace process among all Afghans.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Washington Post. It's shortsighted only to blame the Taliban for escalating violence when the country was already descending into anarchy, and the Islamic State was on the rise before the US withdrawal. This was also fostered because Washington never developed a coherent political and economic strategy for Afghanistan. With international aid funds now being cut and the US freezing billions in Afghan assets, the situation will only worsen due to Western failures.