Aftermath of the Bomb in ZaranjThe Afghan National Directorate of Security claims that it has arrested three Iranian citizens over a suicide bombing on Tuesday in southwestern Afghanistan, close to the Iranian border.
The blast in Zaranj, the centre of Nimroz province, killed at least 36 people and injured dozens more injured. Three suicide bombers detonated their explosives in central areas of the city, while three others were killed by the police before they could set off their bombs.
The NDS claims that the arrested individuals have confessed to being trained on Iranian soil in military bases. However, an official from the NDS says it does not have full details of whether the Iranian government is complicit in the attack and adds that the attackers also received training in Pakistan.
This is the first time the NDS has arrested Iranians and linked them to attacks in Afghanistan. A source aware of the situation told EA that the attackers were part of Iran's Baloch minority. By accusing them individuals, the government of Afghanistan is effectively disavowing the possibility of the Islamic Republic's involvement in the bombing. At the same time, the Afghans are keeping speculation alive by not ruling out the possibility.