A Taliban suicide blast in central Kabul earlier Tuesday killed at least 22 people and wounded 38, the interior ministry said, hours after the lunchtime explosion rocked the Afghan capital.
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"We are investigating whether it was a suicide attack or whether a magnetic bomb was attached to a motor-bike," interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said.
The explosions came after US President Donald Trump abruptly ended talks with the Taliban earlier this month over a deal that would have allowed the US to begin withdrawing troops from its longest war.
In a statement sent to media claiming responsibility for both blasts, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the attack near Ghani's rally was deliberately aimed at disrupting the September 28 elections.
In a separate incident, an explosion near an election rally attended by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani killed 26 people and injured 42 others in Charikar, capital of Parwan province, north of Kabul, health officials said. Taliban commanders have said they will intensify clashes with Afghan and foreign forces to dissuade people from voting in the September 28 presidential election, when Ghani will bid for a second five-year term.


