20 killed in series of Kabul blasts at funeral

Afghan president says country is under attack; Abdullah Abdullah escapes unharmed; Taliban deny role; Pakistan terms attacks anti-human deserving utmost condemnation

KABUL: A series of blasts in Kabul on Saturday killed at least 20 people at a funeral for one of the victims of clashes between the police and protesters a day before.The blasts occurred at the funeral of the son of the deputy Senate speaker, Mohammad Alam Izadyar, an ethnic Tajik ally of Abdullah. He died after being seriously injured in clashes during Friday´s protest.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani issued a call for unity.

"The country is under attack," he said in a message on Twitter.

"We must be strong and united.”

Saturday´s blasts shattered an uneasy calm which had descended after authorities blocked the streets of Kabul in a bid to prevent a repeat of the bloody confrontation between the protesters and police on Friday.

"Kabul´s Italian-run Emergency Hospital said 20 people had been reported killed and 16 wounded had been brought to the hospital.

The interior ministry said there were six dead and 87 wounded.

Government Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah was at the funeral but was unharmed, while survivors said a series of explosions had ripped through the crowd, most of whom appeared to be linked to Abdullah´s mainly Tajik Jamiat-e-Islami party.

"There were sounds of explosions everywhere and I saw my hands and face were on fire," said Mohammad Azim, who was being treated for burns at the emergency hospital.

"There were parts of human bodies everywhere.

"One of the bloodiest weeks in Kabul for months began with the devastating truck bomb attack in the city´s diplomatic zone on Wednesday morning which killed more than 80 people and wounded more than 460. That was followed by five more deaths on Friday during clashes which broke out between protesters and police at a rally demanding the resignations of Ghani and Abdullah over repeated security failures.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied any role in the bombing and instead blamed factional rivalries in the government´s own camp.

Rahmatullah Begana, who was at the funeral, said the first explosion occurred as the mullah made the first call to prayer and as people scattered, it was followed by another.

"I saw a lot of people lying on the ground," he said.

Pakistan strongly condemned the terrorist attack and said terrorist attacks were against human values and deserve utmost condemnation in every possible way.

In a statement, the Foreign Office spokesman said the government and the people of Pakistan express their heartfelt sympathies and deepest condolences to the government and the people of Afghanistan and to the bereaved families in the hour of grief.

"Our thoughts are with the victims of the attacks and we pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.   Pakistan stands shoulder-to-shoulder with its Afghan brethren in their anguish and mourning.”