UPDATE - Multiple blasts rock Afghan capital Kabul

UPDATES WITH DEATH TOLL, AFGHANISTAN BLAMES PAKISTAN-BASED MILITANTS, CLAIMS OF RESPONSIBILITY, CHANGES DECK

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - Multiple blasts and gunfire on Wednesday rocked Kabul, triggering panic among people in the war-ravaged capital.

Hashmat Stanikzai, spokesman for the Afghan National Police in Kabul, told Anadolu Agency the explosions took place at Police Station 13 in western Dasht-e-Barchi neighborhood and close to Police Station 10 in Shahr-e-Nau area of the city.

The country’s premier spy agency National Directorate of Security (NDS), has blamed Pakistan-based Haqqani Network and Lashkar-e-Taiba militant organizations for orchestrating the attacks. “The enemies of Afghanistan are proving nothing else with these attacks other than their enmity towards the people of Afghanistan,” it said, in a statement.

Hours after the assaults, Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak told a news conference as many as five attackers targeted Police Station 10 and two suicide attackers were involved in raiding Police Station 13. He confirmed six attackers and two policemen were killed in these assaults.

According to local Ariana News, armed clashes among the attackers and the security forces were underway.

Zabihullah Mujahed, Taliban spokesman, claimed responsibility for the attack on Police Station 10 in a tweet.

Daesh militants claimed the attack on Police Station 13 via a statement on their Amaq propaganda site.

It is worth mentioning Daesh claimed a suicide attack in the Dasht-e-Barchi last month killing up to 30 people at a voter registration center. This area is predominantly occupied by the ethnic Shia Hazara Afghans who have been on the Daesh hit-list.