At least 24 killed after suicide bombers attack funeral in Kabul

Explosions on Saturday ripped through the funeral ceremony of an Afghan man killed who was during protests over the worsening security situation in the capital Kabul, witnesses said, reporting multiple casualties.

Kabul's Italian-run Emergency Hospital, which has treated a stream of wounded over the past few days, said 19 people had been reported killed and 16 wounded had been brought to the hospital. The interior ministry said there were six dead and 87 wounded.

Tolo News TV and other Afghan media reported a toll as high as 24 with at least 100 wounded.

TRT World's Arabella Munro reports.

The bombs were detonated by three suicide bombers who were hiding among the mourners at the funeral, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah told a local news channel.

Abdullah was among several senior Afghan government officials who attended Salim Ezadyar's funeral. He was unhurt in the incident.

Salim Ezadyar was among four people killed on Friday when an anti-government protest spiralled into street clashes, with police firing live rounds to disperse hundreds of stone-throwing demonstrators incensed by a catastrophic bombing.

There has been no claim of responsibility for the bombing yet.

Capital on lockdown

Kabul city has been on lockdown with armed checkpoints and armoured vehicles patrolling the streets to prevent a repeat of protests that spiralled into street clashes.

Hundreds of demonstrators calling for President Ashraf Ghani to step down clashed with police on Friday, prompting officials to beat them back with live rounds, tear gas and water cannon.

Public anger has mounted after an explosives-laden sewage tanker detonated in Kabul's diplomatic quarter on Wednesday, killing 90 people and wounding hundreds of others in the deadliest attack in the Afghan capital since 2001. No individual or group claimed responsibility for Wednesday's bombing.

Demanding answers

Kabul has been on edge since the bombing, which highlighted the ability of militants to strike even in the capital's most secure district, home to the presidential palace and foreign embassies that are enveloped in a maze of concrete blast walls.

Residents of the city have demanded answers from the government over the perceived intelligence failure leading to the bombing, which underscores spiralling insecurity in Afghanistan.

Friday's killings will likely further inflame passions as protesters prepared to attend their funeral ceremonies on Saturday.