Bomb blast kills university professor in Afghan capital

Kabul hit by attacks on members of security forces, judges, government officials, civil society activists and journalists in recent weeks

File photo shows an Afghan police officer keeping watch at the site of a bomb blast in Kabul, Afghanistan on January 10, 2021. Reuters

A Kabul University professor was killed when a bomb hit his car in Afghanistan's capital on Thursday, police officials said, the first attack in days after a series of such incidents in recent weeks.

Mubasher Muslimyar, an Islamic law professor, was killed in Kabul with another person, said Ferdaws Faramarz, a police spokesman. The identity of the second individual killed was not known, but media reports said he was a professor too.

Kabul in recent weeks suffered a series of attacks with small magnetic bombs attached beneath vehicles and other targeted killings against members of security forces, judges, government officials, civil society activists and journalists.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack but government officials said Taliban insurgents were to blame and used such tactics to instil fear while avoiding large-scale civilian casualties.

The government announced last week that it had arrested the group responsible for making and using sticky bombs, but such attacks continue to occur.

Violence in parts of the country increased recently as peace talks between the government and Taliban insurgents largely stalled while US President Joe Biden's administration reviews how to handle the peace process, including a troop withdrawal.

Afghan military officials said local security forces and the Taliban are preparing for fighting to resume in the spring.