A suicide bomber in the Afghan capital killing at least 31 people

A suicide bomber killed at least 31 people, struck a voter registration center in the Afghan capital on Sunday, officials said.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majro stated that another 54 people were injured in Sunday’s attack. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards.

The blast echoed across the city, shattering windows miles away from the attack site and damaging several nearby vehicles. Police blocked all roads to the blast site, with only ambulances allowed in to drive. Local TV stations broadcast live footage of hundreds of distraught people gathered at nearby hospitals seeking about their relatives and members.

The Taliban denied involvement. The possibility of the bombing was likely carried out by a local Islamic State affiliate, which has been behind past bombings in Kabul that targeted civilians. Both groups are opposed to democratic elections.

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Afghanistan will hold parliamentary elections in October. Last week, three police officers responsible for guarding voter registration centers in two Afghan provinces were killed by militants, according to authorities.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, a district police chief in the northern Balkh province died of his wounds after being shot Saturday during a gunbattle with insurgents,

Durrani identified the slain commander as Halim Khanjar, police chief for the Char Bolak district. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the killing.