KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Latest on developments in Afghanistan (all times local):

An Afghan official says explosions in Kabul have killed at least four people attending a funeral reportedly attended by government officials, including members of parliament.

Najib Danish, Interior Ministry deputy spokesman, says three explosions rocked a cemetery where Sen. Alam Ezadyar’s son was about to be buried. Salim Ezadyar was killed during a protest Friday attended by hundreds in Kabul, said.

Ezadyar is deputy speaker for the upper house of the country’s parliament.

More than a thousand people demonstrated Friday demanding more security in the capital following a powerful truck bomb attack in the city that killed 90 people and wounded more than 450. Officials say several were killed and wounded.

A demonstration in downtown Kabul that left several people dead has entered a second day.

More than a thousand people demonstrated Friday demanding more security in the capital following a powerful truck bomb attack in the city that killed 90 people and wounded more than 450.

Scores of protesters passed the night under two big tents on a road near the presidential palace and the blast site. All roads toward the palace and diplomatic areas are being blocked Saturday by police and there is limited movement of vehicles and people.

On Friday, demonstrators rushed toward police who fired warning shots and when they attempted to move closer to the palace, police sprayed them with hoses from a water tanker and later fired tear gas.</s>More than 100 injured at funeral attended by high-ranking Afghan officials just days after deadly truck bomb in capital

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

At least seven people have been killed and more than 119 wounded in three separate explosions at a high-profile funeral in Kabul, the third attack in four days in the Afghan capital.

Why deadly Kabul bombing is crisis for all of Afghanistan | Emma Graham-Harrison Read more

The funeral was for one of several protesters killed on Friday at a large demonstration calling for the resignation of the government after a large truck bomb killed nearly 100 people on Wednesday.

The ministry of public health said seven people had been killed on Saturday, while Reuters reported up to 12 dead. Wahid Mujro, a ministry spokesman, said 119 people had been injured. Numbers were likely to rise, given the density of the crowd of more than a thousand people.

The funeral for Salem Izidyar, the son of the senate deputy speaker, was attended by many high-ranking current and former officials, including the country’s chief executive, Abdullah Abdullah. According to his office, Abdullah was not hurt in the explosions.

After the blasts, Abdullah drove to Izidyar’s grave and participated in the burial, said his spokesman, Mujib Rahman Rahimi. On returning to his residence, Abdullah spoke on national television.

Lotfullah Najafizada (@LNajafizada) Dr Abdullah, who survived today's funeral blasts, appears live from his home in Kabul. pic.twitter.com/k8qxQeCcPd

The first blast, which some attendees said came from an improvised explosive device, went off during the pre-burial prayer. It was followed by two more, when a pair of suicide bombers detonated their explosives.

Toryalai Shufaee, an aide to Zubair Massoud, the son of the former vice-president Ahmad Zia Massoud, who was at the funeral, said: “When I woke up, I saw dust everywhere and dead bodies, bodies that had been burned.”

Other prominent politicians at the ceremony included the foreign minister, Salahuddin Rabbani, and the former intelligence chief Amrullah Saleh. All escaped without serious injuries.

Footage of the explosions showed the consecutive blasts sending people running in all directions.

1TVNewsAF (@1TVNewsAF) ویدیوی صحنه انفجار در مراسم خاکسپاری سالم ایزدیار در کابل

‌blast footage at Kabul funeral pic.twitter.com/BkDCRNrEiW

Speaking to local media, Saleh criticised the government for failing to protect such a high-level gathering and called on the president, Ashraf Ghani, to review his security cabinet.

The suicide bombers reportedly posed as mourners in the crowd.

But Rahimi said “you cannot search everyone” with gatherings involving such large numbers.

The truck bombing in Kabul’s diplomatic quarter, one the deadliest attacks in Afghanistan since 2001, has left the streets of the capital tense and the foreign community anxious. On Friday, the German embassy evacuated from the country all its staff, except the ambassador and military attache.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the funeral bombs, but Izidyar’s father, Mohammad Alam Izidyar, is a prominent member of the anti-Taliban Jamiat-e Islami party.</s>KABUL, Afghanistan — At least six people have been killed and 87 injured following three explosions at a funeral in Kabul on Saturday, the Ministry of Interior said.

Mourners were paying their respects to Salim Ayzadyar, the son of an Afghan senator, when three suicide bombers detonated explosives, Afghan chief executive Abdullah Abdullah told state television.

Abdullah, who is the country's second-most powerful man, was also at the funeral but was unharmed.

Simonetta Gola a spokesperson for Emergency Hospital told NBC News they had received 16 patients, but could not confirm their conditions.

Ayzadyar died during violent clashes between Afghan police and protesters at a demonstration in Kabul on Friday.

More than a thousand demonstrators descended into the streets to demand more security in the capital after a rush-hour suicide bomb killed at least 90 people and wounded more than 450 on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press.

The demonstration left seven people dead and 10 others injured, according to Najeeb Danish the spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of the Interior.

Most of the casualties of Wednesday's blast were civilians and many of those killed were women and children, according to authorities.

Eleven U.S. citizen contractor personnel were injured, but none of the injuries are considered life threatening, a U.S. State Department official said.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Ahmed Mengli reported from Kabul and Saphora Smith reported from London.</s>Kabul: At least 18 Afghans were killed when three back-to-back explosions ripped through a funeral on Saturday for one of the demonstrators killed during anti-government protests on Friday, witnesses and media reported.

The people killed on a hill in the northern part of Kabul had not been identified. The public health ministry confirmed the casualties. Ministry spokesman Wahid Majroh said 87 people were wounded.

Embattled President Ashraf Ghani condemned the assault, calling it an "outrageous attack on mourners burying the martyred."

"The country is under attack," Ghani said. "We must be strong and united."

Afghan chief executive Abdullah Abdullah and Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani were among those attending the funeral. They were reportedly safe.

The funeral was for the son of deputy head of Senate, Salim Ezadyar. A helicopter was seen landing on the hill while ambulance sirens were heard heading to the site of the explosions.

Earlier, authorities had urged locals to end anti-government protests because of reports that militants would target any gathering, similar to one that killed scores of people last year.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Saturday's blasts, which were suicide attacks. The resurgent Taliban said it was not involved in the assault.

The attack drew condemnation from political parties and ordinary Afghans.

Friday's protest was launched following a series of deadly attacks by insurgents, including one in Kabul that killed more than 100 people and wounded hundreds more on Wednesday.

In addition to civilians, Friday's protesters included several political figures and a key factional leader, Ahmad Zai Masood, whom President Ashraf Ghani fired from a top government job recently.

They demanded removal of Ghani's shaky government and pushed for formation of an interim administration, at least partly for its failure to stop the attacks.

The protesters chanted anti-American and anti-Pakistani slogans, demanded execution of militant inmates and accused the government of being too lenient in the fight against the insurgents.

The resurgent Taliban, with whom the government has been trying broker a peace deal, has denied involvement in Wednesday's attack. The Afghan government has blamed it on the Haqqani network, which is seen as the operational wing of the Taliban.

Friday's protest became violent after some of demonstrators continued moving forward after entreaties by police to stop several hundred metres away from the presidential palace, witnesses said. Security forces opened fire and used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Five protesters died and almost 10 were wounded.

Ghani on Saturday ordered an investigation into the incident to "identify those who acted unlawfully."

The commander for Kabul's garrison, General Gul Nabi Ahmadzai, in a news conference later on Friday said some protesters carried weapons and wounded some security personnel.

Ahmadzai and General Murad Ali Murad, a deputy interior minister, urged the protesters to end their demonstration, citing fears that suicide attackers would target such rallies, as they did last year.</s>By The Associated Press

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan Public Health Ministry official says explosions at funeral in Kabul kill at least 4.</s>KABUL — Explosions in Kabul on Saturday killed at least six people attending a funeral reportedly attended by government officials, including members of parliament, a day after hundreds of demonstrators turned out to demand more security in the capital.

The explosions came just three days after a powerful truck bomb attack in the city that killed 90 people and wounded more than 450. The attack raised fears about the government’s ability to protect its citizens nearly 16 years into a war with insurgents.

Wahid Mujro, spokesman for the Public Health ministry, said three explosions rocked a cemetery where Afghan Sen. Alam Ezadyar’s son was about to be buried. Salim Ezadyar was one of several people killed during the protest Friday attended by more than a thousand people in downtown Kabul.

Alam Ezadyar is deputy speaker for the upper house of the Afghanistan Parliament.

A couple hundred protesters passed the night under two big tents on a road near the presidential palace and the blast site and about 200 more joined them during the day. All roads toward the palace and nearby diplomatic areas were blocked Saturday by police and there was limited movement of vehicles and people.

The nature of Friday’s demonstration shifted when protesters — many calling for the country’s leadership to resign — attempted to move closer to the palace and some rushed police, who fired warning shots and used water cannons and eventually tear gas in attempt to disperse the crowd. The city’s police chief said some demonstrators fired weapons in the direction of his men.

A member of Parliament said Friday that eight protesters had been shot dead, while a hospital official said four corpses were brought to his facility. Police said Friday two protesters were killed and 25 police injured but would not comment on the number of fatalities when asked to clarify the death toll Saturday.

Meanwhile on Saturday, Gen. Murad Ali Murad, deputy interior minister, urged demonstrators to disperse because of a high security threat level in the country. He also called on members of the public not to join the demonstration.

Ghani, meanwhile, met with senior security officials during an emergency security meeting. A statement from the president’s office said the meeting determined that an investigation must find out what exactly happened that led to the violence and identify those who acted against the law.

Most of the casualties from the truck bombing were civilians, including women and children, officials have said. But the dead also included Afghan security guards at the facilities, including the U.S. Embassy, and 11 American contractors were wounded — none with life-threatening injuries, a U.S. State Department official said.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, which came in the first week of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.</s>Up to 18 people have been killed in three explosions centered around a funeral in downtown Kabul Saturday, Afghanistan's TOLO news network reports. Multiple injuries have also been reported, according to local officials cited by TOLO.Security forces have set up a cordon around the Khair Khana area of Kabul where the explosions took place.The funeral waswhich took place in Kabul Friday.Up to five people were killed at during the protests according to Afghanistan's deputy interior minister, as cited by Reuters. Protesters planned a second day of demonstration on Saturday.Abdullah Abdullah, the chief executive of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, was in attendance at the funeral at the time of the explosions.</s>A number of people have been killed in explosions near a funeral in Kabul just days after a powerful truck bomb attack killed more than 80 and wounded hundreds.

The explosions rocked a cemetery where a local senator's son was about to be buried, Interior Ministry deputy spokesman Najib Danish said.

Mr Danish said at least six people had been killed, while a witness who did not want to be quoted by name told the Reuters news agency that 12 people had died and 18 had been wounded.

Afghanistan's Tolo News television reported that as many as 18 had been killed.

Mr Danish said government officials, including members of Parliament, had been at the funeral, which was being held for Salim Ezadyar, the son of Senator Alam Ezadyar.

Alam Ezadyar is deputy speaker for the upper house of the Afghanistan Parliament.

Government Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah was at the funeral, but was unharmed, a statement from his office said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

The Taliban, which has often carried out bomb attacks in the past, issued a swift denial that it had any role and instead blamed factional rivalries in the Government's own camp, the group's spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.

The explosions follow Wednesday's powerful truck bomb attack, which killed more than 80 people and wounded hundreds.

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of downtown Kabul demanding better security in the capital in the wake of the truck attack.

Several demonstrators were killed and police were injured in the protests, authorities said.

Salim Ezadyar was one of the demonstrators killed during the protest on Friday.

The nature of Friday's demonstration shifted when protesters — many calling for the country's leadership to resign — attempted to move closer to the palace and some rushed police, who fired warning shots and used water cannons and eventually tear gas in attempt to disperse the crowd.

The city's police chief said some demonstrators fired weapons in the direction of his men.

A member of Parliament said on Friday that eight protesters had been shot dead, while a hospital official said four corpses were brought to his facility.

Police said two protesters were killed on Friday and 25 police injured, but would not comment on the number of fatalities when asked to clarify the death toll on Saturday.

The truck attack was one of the deadliest attacks in the 16-year Afghanistan intervention.</s>KABUL — Explosions in Kabul on Saturday killed at least six people attending a funeral reportedly attended by government officials, including members of parliament, a day after hundreds of demonstrators turned out to demand more security in the capital.

The explosions came just three days after a powerful truck bomb attack in the city that killed 90 people and wounded more than 450. The attack raised fears about the government’s ability to protect its citizens nearly 16 years into a war with insurgents.

Wahid Mujro, spokesman for the Public Health ministry, said three explosions rocked a cemetery where Afghan Sen. Alam Ezadyar’s son was about to be buried. Salim Ezadyar was one of several people killed during the protest Friday attended by more than a thousand people in downtown Kabul.

Alam Ezadyar is deputy speaker for the upper house of the Afghanistan Parliament.

A couple hundred protesters passed the night under two big tents on a road near the presidential palace and the blast site and about 200 more joined them during the day. All roads toward the palace and nearby diplomatic areas were blocked Saturday by police and there was limited movement of vehicles and people.

The nature of Friday’s demonstration shifted when protesters — many calling for the country’s leadership to resign — attempted to move closer to the palace and some rushed police, who fired warning shots and used water cannons and eventually tear gas in attempt to disperse the crowd. The city’s police chief said some demonstrators fired weapons in the direction of his men.

A member of Parliament said Friday that eight protesters had been shot dead, while a hospital official said four corpses were brought to his facility. Police said Friday two protesters were killed and 25 police injured but would not comment on the number of fatalities when asked to clarify the death toll Saturday.

Meanwhile on Saturday, Gen. Murad Ali Murad, deputy interior minister, urged demonstrators to disperse because of a high security threat level in the country. He also called on members of the public not to join the demonstration.

Ghani, meanwhile, met with senior security officials during an emergency security meeting. A statement from the president’s office said the meeting determined that an investigation must find out what exactly happened that led to the violence and identify those who acted against the law.

Most of the casualties from the truck bombing were civilians, including women and children, officials have said. But the dead also included Afghan security guards at the facilities, including the U.S. Embassy, and 11 American contractors were wounded — none with life-threatening injuries, a U.S. State Department official said.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, which came in the first week of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.</s>KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan Public Health Ministry official says explosions at funeral in Kabul kill at least 4.
According to the Interior Ministry, three blasts at a funeral attended by MPs and government figures in Kabul kill at least seven people and wound 119 more.