Alwaght- At Least 80 people were killed and over 230 injured in Saturday afternoon when powerful bombs blew up among demonstrators in Afghanistan capital city of Kabul.
Afghanistan-based Tolonews cited Police as saying said one suicide bomber successfully detonated his explosives while the second bomb, which did explode, had been defective. The third bomber was killed by security force members at the scene before he could detonate his vest.
ISIS has claimed responsibilty fo the attacks, the terrorist group's Amaq news agency reported.
"Two fighters from Islamic State detonated explosive belts at a gathering of Shi'ites in... the city of Kabul in Afghanistan," Amaq said in a brief news alert.
The blast was carried out at the Deh Mazang Square in Kabul, where thousands of Shiite Hazara demonstrators had gathered from early morning in protest against a controversial power line project.
Photographs and video footage taken by witnesses immediately after the blasts painted a horrific scene.
With smoke still rising, hundreds of people, many covered in blood, were filmed running from the scene.
Extensive damage was also caused to nearby buildings.
Thousands of people had gathered from early Saturday in protest over government's planned routing of the 500kV power line project-- which would connect the Central Asian nations of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan with electricity-hungry Afghanistan and Pakistan-- through Salang to Kabul, demanding the line to run through its original path, i.e. Bamiyan instead.
The organization's director for South Asia, Champa Patel said: "Such attacks are a reminder that the conflict in Afghanistan is not winding down, as some believe, but escalating, with consequences for the human rights situation in the country that should alarm us all."
Within an hour of the attack, angry demonstrators started regrouping in the Dehmazang Circle area. Many said they would stay on the streets until their demands are met.
One demonstrator said the protests will continue until the legitimate voice of the people is heard.
This comes after government overnight blocked most access points into the city center in a bid to prevent demonstrators from reaching the presidential palace.
