Kandahar governor Humayun Azizi, who has returned home after treatment of his injuries sustained in an explosion in Kandahar, said in an interview with TOLOnews that the attack at Kandahar guesthouse was plotted by the Taliban on the other side of the Durand Line – the de facto border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“The explosion was plotted by the Taliban on the other side of the Durand Line and was carried out here in Kandahar,” Azizi said.

However, following the attack the Taliban denied their involvement in the incident.

The governor said the explosives were placed inside dishes and were taken to the guesthouse – where high ranking officials from Afghanistan and United Arab Emirates had gathered.

“The explosives were few, but were highly destructive and powerful. The explosives were placed inside dishes when they were being prepared to be taken to the guesthouse,” he said.

Commenting on the governor’s remarks, Nazari Paryani, a journalist, said: “In many cases it seems that a number of groups inside government have played a vital role in implementing targeted attacks. That is the reason why government does not want to investigate a number of incidents, because investigators will finally find out that high ranking officials might be involved in them.”

The explosion in Kandahar guesthouse left 11 people dead including five Arabic diplomats and the UAE ambassador to Afghanistan Juma Mohammed Abdullah Al Kaabi who succumbed to his injures few weeks after the attack.

The victims of the Kandahar guesthouse attack were all high-ranking officials and diplomats who had gathered to welcome the UAE ambassador.