Roadside Bomb Kills 3 in Afghan Capital

Afghan security officers inspect the site of a bombing attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
Afghan security officers inspect the site of a bombing attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
TT

Roadside Bomb Kills 3 in Afghan Capital

Afghan security officers inspect the site of a bombing attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
Afghan security officers inspect the site of a bombing attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

A roadside bomb exploded in Afghanistan's capital Sunday, killing at least three people in a vehicle.

Tariq Arian, spokesman for the interior minister, said a spokesman for the ministry's public protection forces — a security force — was one of the three killed in the attack.

The murder of Zia Wadan, who previously worked for several media networks in Afghanistan, appeared to be the latest in a series of targeted killings that have rocked Afghanistan, especially Kabul.

Wadan and his colleagues were killed in morning rush-hour traffic in an eastern part of the capital, Arian told reporters.

"A vehicle carrying Zia Wadan was targeted with an IED... as a result Wadan and two of his colleagues were killed," Arian said, adding that another person was wounded.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

ISIS has claimed responsibility for multiple attacks in the capital in recent months, including on educational institutions that killed 50 people, most of them students. ISIS has claimed responsibility for rocket attacks in December targeting the major US base in Afghanistan. There were no casualties.

Taliban militants have meanwhile continued their insurgency against government forces while keeping their promise not to attack US and NATO troops.



Iran’s Khatami: 60% Non-Participation Unprecedented, Signaling Majority Anger

Reformist presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian meets former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami after receiving endorsement from the Reformist Front before the first round of voting (Jamaran)
Reformist presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian meets former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami after receiving endorsement from the Reformist Front before the first round of voting (Jamaran)
TT

Iran’s Khatami: 60% Non-Participation Unprecedented, Signaling Majority Anger

Reformist presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian meets former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami after receiving endorsement from the Reformist Front before the first round of voting (Jamaran)
Reformist presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian meets former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami after receiving endorsement from the Reformist Front before the first round of voting (Jamaran)

Former reformist president Mohammad Khatami called the recent Iranian elections “unprecedented,” noting that over 60% of Iranians abstained from voting, which he said shows widespread anger among the population.

In the upcoming presidential runoff, hardliner Saeed Jalili and reformist Masoud Pezeshkian are vying to mobilize millions of voters on Friday, despite general apathy towards the tightly controlled election.

More than 60% of voters did not participate in the June 28 election to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash. This record low turnout is seen by critics as a sign of no confidence in Iran.

Reuters predicts a close race on Friday between Pezeshkian, the only reformist candidate from the first round, and Jalili, a current representative of the Supreme Leader on the National Security Council and a former Revolutionary Guard member.

The candidates are promoting sharply different agendas to attract voters. Jalili advocates strict domestic and foreign policies, while Pezeshkian calls for more social and political freedoms.

Both promise to revive Iran’s struggling economy plagued by mismanagement, corruption, and sanctions since 2018 due to Iran’s nuclear program.

The ruling authorities seek high voter turnout to maintain legitimacy amid Western pressure over Iran’s nuclear advancements and regional tensions like the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Voter turnout in Iran has been declining, hitting a low of 41% in March’s parliamentary elections. In 2021, Raisi was elected with a 49% turnout after disqualifying many experienced candidates.

On his part, Khatami urged leaders to heed voter dissatisfaction, emphasizing voting as a national right and a political statement. He backed Pezeshkian, citing his integrity as a former health minister.

Khatami further urged Iranians to choose between Jalili’s path, seen as undermining rights and exacerbating poverty, and Pezeshkian’s path, which aims to enhance justice and address citizens’ needs.