India condemns suicide terror attack on Afghanistan's Shia culture center

KABUL: India on Friday condemned the terrorist attack on a Shiite cultural center in Afghanistan that killed at least 41 people while extending its support to Kabul in the fight against the menace of terrorism and efforts to bring peace in the country.

"India strongly condemns the cowardly suicide terror attack on 28 December at the media news agency and the cultural centre in Kabul resulting in loss of more than 40 innocent lives and many more injured," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement today.

"Our heartfelt condolences are with the families of the victims of this dastardly attack and we wish early recovery to the injured," the MEA said. 

"Indian remains steadfast in its solidarity with the government and the people of Afghanistan at this difficult time. India is committed to extend all possible support in their fight against the menace of terrorism and efforts to bring peace, stability and security in the country," it added. 

More than 40 people were killed and dozens wounded in a suicide blast targeting Shiites in Kabul Thursday, officials said, with chaotic scenes at the hospitals in Kabul as anguished families sought loved ones.

The attack occurred during a morning panel discussion on the anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Sunni-majority Afghanistan at the Tabian Social and Cultural Centre, witnesses said.

The Sunni Islamic State group (IS) claimed responsibility for the gruesome assault on the pro-Iranian Tabayan cultural centre, the third deadly attack it has claimed in the Afghan capital this month. 

Up to 100 people had gathered at the centre to mark the 38th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. It is located in western Kabul, in the same building as affiliated Afghan Voice Agency (AVA), an anti-IS media outlet.

Waheed Majrooh, a spokesman for the ministry of public health, said 41 people, including four women and two children, had been killed and 84 wounded, most suffering from burns.

Kabul has become one of the deadliest places in war-torn Afghanistan for civilians in recent months, as the Taliban step up their attacks and IS seeks to expand its presence in the country.

Over the past two years, Islamic State in Khorasan, as the local group is known, has claimed a growing number of attacks on Shi`ite targets in Afghanistan, where sectarian attacks were previously rare.

Prior to Thursday's attack, there had been at least 12 attacks on Shi'ite targets since the start of 2016, in which almost 700 people were killed or wounded, according to United Nations figures. Before that, there had only been one major attack, in 2011.