Blast at Kabul Demonstration Kills 81, Injures 286
KABUL, Afghanistan — At least 81 people were killed and 286 wounded Saturday in a twin bombing claimed by the Islamic State group that targeted a demonstration by members of the Hazara minority, officials and witnesses said.
The marchers in the Afghan capital were demanding that a major regional electric power line be routed through their impoverished home province. Most Hazaras are Shiite Muslims, while most Afghans are Sunni.
Two Islamic State militants detonated suicide vests among the demonstrators, the Islamic State-affiliated Amaq News Agency said.
Health Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ismail Kawoosi said that the victims were taken to nearby Isteqlal hospital and that the death toll was likely to rise.
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