TEHRAN, September 5. /TASS/. The Taliban have vowed to take more serious measures to ensure security of the Russian embassy in Kabul.
"Our security services have launched an all-round probe into the attack and will take more serious steps to ensure security of the [Russian] embassy so that such potential threats don’t hinder the diplomatic mission’s work," the Taliban government’s foreign ministry said in a statement posted on the ministry’s website on Monday after a blast near the Russian embassy’s consular department.
"We have close relations with Russia and we will not let machinations of enemies tell adversely on relations between our two countries," the ministry said, adding that the country’s authorities "strongly condemn" the terror attack and extend sincere condolences to the government and people of Russia, and to the families of those killed in the attack.
According to earlier reports, an unidentified person activated an explosive device near the entry to the Russian embassy’s consular department in Kabul at 10:50 local time. Two employees of the Russian diplomatic mission were killed. The Russian foreign ministry said that the embassy is in close contact with Afghanistan’s special services.
According to the Al Jazeera television channel, at least eight people were killed and at least 15 were hurt in the terror attack. Meanwhile, Al-Arabiya TV said that the attack was committed by a suicide bomber who approached the gate to the Russian embassy to be shot dead by the Taliban. According to Afghanistan’s Hasht-e Subh daily, there were a lot of people, mostly students, near the Russian embassy who sought to obtain Russian visas.