KABUL - Thousands of protestors in Kabul on Saturday demanded the route of TUTA be changed to pass through central Bamyan province.
The protestors, marching from Dashti-e-Barch in the thirteen police district, chanted “we want Justice, be united for your freedom, TUTAP is our right and no to discrimination”.
One of the protestors, Mohammad Daud, said their demand was changing the TUTAP project route to Bamyan adding that “This protest is not held by a particular tribe; our aim is justice to the province.”
The rally was peaceful when explosions took place in the middle of the rally around 2:30 local time. Mohammad Ismael Kawasi, head of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) media office, confirmed 64 dead and 234 hurt in the explosions.
Security forces cordoned off the site of explosion and no one was allowed to get closed.
Ghani directed government institutions concerned to use all necessary arrangements to make sure the speedy recovery of wounded persons. He advised to shift the critical injured to the top health facilities such as Daud Khan Hospital, NDS health facility and others.
Mohammad Ismael Kawasi confirmed the casualties in the explosions that took place in the middle of the crowd at around 2:30 pm.
Khand Ali Radmand, one of the rally participants, said that the first explosion happened near the Barikot Cinema and the second followed in Demazang Square. He said a large number of people were wounded and evacuated to hospitals.
Dr. Mohammad Saber Naseb, Istiqlal Hospital director, said scores of wounded had been rought to the hospital and there was a possibility of more inured would being shifted to the facility.
A security official, who wished to go unnamed, revealed the explosions were probably suicide attacks. Some enraged protesters gathered after the explosions at around 3:30 and threw stones at security officials.