Shortly after Saturday’s deadly bombing in Kabul, CEO Abdullah Abdullah expressed his outrage at yet another incident in a string of attacks this week around the country and said “this is enough” now.
Abdullah said in a twitter message: “We condemn this terrorist act and share the sorrows and loses of our people. Our priority and focus right now is to help those in need and provide the best treatment for those wounded. This is the moment when we all need to stand together and punch our enemy hard. This is enough!
As other messages of support poured in from around the world, UK ambassador to Kabul Sir Nicholas Kay said: “I condemn in strongest possible terms today’s atrocity in Kabul. All responsible must be brought to justice. @UKinAfghanistan grieves with those lost and injured. Search for peace must continue,” he said.
The US Ambassador to Kabul also condemned the attack.
He said: “I condemn today’s senseless and cowardly bombing in Kabul and those who perpetrated it. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. My government and I stand with the brave people of Afghanistan. Their work to create a peaceful, prosperous future for all the citizens of this country is the best response to terrorists and others who know only violence.”
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he was “appalled by the barbaric attack in Kabul. I strongly condemn this terrorist act. My thoughts are with the victims, their families and the Afghan people.
“NATO stands with Afghanistan in our common fight against terrorism,” he said.
Saturday’s bombing, thought to have been an explosive laden ambulance, happened in a busy area in the heart of the city.
The ICRC Afghanistan said in a tweet that the use of an ambulance in Saturday’s attack in Kabul is harrowing. "This could amount to perfidy under IHL.
"Unacceptable and unjustifiable."
By mid-afternoon about 5pm, four hours after the incident, health officials confirmed that at least 53 people had been killed and over 51 wounded.
This comes after last Saturday’s deadly siege on the Intercontinental Hotel, which killed over 40 people, and Wednesday’s hours-long siege on Save the Children in Jalalabad in Nangarhar.
At least six people were killed in this attack, including four Save the Children employees.