Over 60 killed in Afghan blasts

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At least 63 people were killed and more than 100 injured as two explosions rocked Afghanistan.

The first explosion happened in the capital Kabul when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a voter registration center in a heavily Shiite-populated neighborhood in the western part of the city. At least 57 people died and more than 110 were wounded, a health ministry spokesman said, adding that the number could rise.

An Afghan man inspects the site of a blast in Kabul, Afghanistan, April 22, 2018. /Reuters Photo

The blast was the deadliest in Kabul since about 100 people were killed in January by a bomb concealed in an ambulance.

ISIL has claimed responsibility for the attack.

An injured girl receives treatment at a hospital after a suicide attack in Kabul on April 22, 2018. /Reuters Photo‍

Later in the day, another explosion rocked Pul-e-Khumri, the capital of Afghanistan’s Baghlan Province, killing at least six people and wounding five others.

The assaults underscore growing concerns about security in the lead-up to legislative elections scheduled for Oct. 20.

Afghanistan began registering voters on April 14 for the long-delayed legislative elections, which are seen as a test-run for the presidential poll next year.

Election officials have acknowledged that security is a major concern as the Taliban and other militant groups control or contest large swathes of the country.

Damaged cars are seen after a blast at the site of the incident in Kabul, May 31, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Afghan police and troops have been tasked with protecting polling centers, even as they struggle to get the upper hand against insurgents on the battlefield.

Militants last Friday launched rockets at a voter registration center in the northwestern province of Badghis.

At least one police officer was killed and another person was wounded, officials said, blaming the Taliban.

Last Tuesday, gunmen attacked a voter registration center in the central province of Ghor, kidnapping three election workers and two policemen.

Afghanistan on April 14 began registering voters for long-delayed legislative elections scheduled for October. /AFP Photo

Taliban militants released the five two days later.

Over the next two months, authorities hope to register up to 14 million adults at more than 7,000 polling centers for the parliamentary and district council elections.

Officials have been pushing people to register amid fears that a low turnout will undermine the credibility of the polls.

President Ashraf Ghani last week urged religious leaders to use Friday prayers to encourage worshippers to sign up.

He also called on provincial governors to tell their employees to register themselves and their family members.

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