The attack took place in a central area of Kabul on Wednesday afternoon, although Taliban officials did not confirm the incident until Thursday.

“Yesterday, there was an explosion in the Pamir Cinema area of Kabul from explosives a person was carrying in a bag,” Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said in a statement.

“Due to this explosion, a child was killed and some civilians were lightly wounded,” he said, telling AFP later that 11 people had been hurt in the blast.

A suspect, who was also wounded, has been arrested, he added in the statement.

Italian organisation Emergency NGO, which operates a hospital in Kabul, said on Wednesday it treated 11 wounded, including two young children, a 16-year-old and two women.

“The explosion took place at a second-hand clothes market when it opened and people crowded to get in,” said deputy country director Stefano Gennaro Smirnov.

“This is the Pamir Cinema neighbourhood, one of the most densely populated in Kabul. Many of those affected by this attack will be living in conditions of severe poverty,” he added.

No group has claimed Wednesday’s attack.

The number of deadly bomb blasts and suicide attacks in Afghanistan has markedly declined since the Taliban ended their insurgency after seizing power in August 2021.

However, a number of armed groups, including the regional chapter of the Islamic State group, remain a threat.

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© Agence France-Presse