| 17 September 2019 Afghanistan bombings | |
|---|---|
| Part ofWar in Afghanistan (2001–present) | |
  Kabul Charikar 17 September 2019 Afghanistan bombings (Afghanistan) | |
| Location | Charikar andKabul,Afghanistan |
| Date | 17 September 2019 (2019-09-17) |
Attack type | Suicide bombings |
| Deaths | 26 (Charikar) 22 (Kabul) Total:48 (+2) |
| Injured | 42 (Charikar) 38 (Kabul) Total:80 |
| Perpetrators | Taliban |
On 17 September 2019, twosuicide bombings killed over 48 people inCharikar andKabul,Afghanistan. The first attack occurred at arally forpresidentAshraf Ghani which killed over 26 and wounded over 42.[1] Ghani was unharmed in the incident.[2] The second bombing occurred inKabul near theUS embassy. In this incident 22 were killed and another 38 were injured in the explosion.[3] Children and women were among the dead and wounded in both attacks.
The attack took place inCharikar, at a police training ground. At the time, AfghanpresidentAshraf Ghani was holding a political rally at the site, attended by thousands of people. A suicide bomber riding a motorcycle drove into a crowd near asecurity checkpoint and detonated his explosives. 26 people and the bomber were killed, and 42 others injured. Women and children were among the victims of the attack. President Ghani was unharmed in the attack, remaining protected by a secure compound about half a mile from the site of the blast.[4][5]
A few hours after the first attack, a second suicide bombing took place in Massoud Square near the Kabul Green Zone, in an area where several government buildings, theUS embassy andNATO headquarters, are located. 22 people were killed in this attack and 38 injured.[3]
The Taliban claimed responsibility for both attacks, and stated that the attacks were aimed at disrupting theAfghan presidential election, scheduled to take place on 28 September.[6]
