Explosion heard in Afghanistan's Kabul; Taliban says no reports of damage

Kabul [Afghanistan], October 10 (ANI): Afghan authorities reported an explosion occured in the capital city of Kabul late on Thursday night, as reported by Dawn.
According to Dawn, the explosion occured near Abdul Haq Square, where a Land Cruiser vehicle was reportedly hit. Afghan media outlet Tolo News cited local residents as saying that the Abdul Haq intersection was closed following the incident, leading to severe traffic congestion in the area.
In a post on X, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabeehullah Mujahid said, "The sound of an explosion was heard in the city of Kabul. However, no one should worry, it is all well and good, the investigation of the incident is underway, no report of any damage has been given so far."
The incident occurred after Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, arrived in New Delhi for a week-long visit to India.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a post on X announcing his arrival on Thursday, said, "We look forward to engaging discussions with him on bilateral relations and regional issues."
Muttaqi's October 9-16 visit marks the first high-level delegation from Kabul to New Delhi since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021. Tolo News quoted Zia Ahmad Takal, head of public relations at the Afghanistan Foreign Ministry, as saying that during this visit, Muttaqi will meet with his Indian counterpart and other senior officials to discuss various issues, including "expanding relations between Kabul and New Delhi."
Although India does not formally recognise the Taliban, addressing a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Jaiswal confirmed on October 3 the continued engagement with the interim government in Afghanistan, highlighting both diplomatic exchanges and humanitarian assistance following a recent earthquake in the region.
Previously, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had spoken with Muttaqi over the phone in May, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had met him in Dubai earlier this year.
The United Nations Security Council has approved a temporary exemption on international travel restrictions for Muttaqi, allowing him to stay in India for a week beginning October 9.
Muttaqi's planned visit to India last month was cancelled after he was unable to obtain a visa waiver for the trip. This marks a renewed effort by the Taliban government to deepen engagement with regional powers, as this is the second Taliban administration in Afghanistan since 1996.
Muttaqi arrived in India after participating in the 7th meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan. In July this year, Russia became the first country to grant recognition to the Islamic Emirate.
The consultations, held in Moscow on October 7, brought together special representatives and senior officials from Afghanistan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
A joint statement from the meeting noted that participants supported "the active integration of Afghanistan into the system of regional connectivity" to enhance its participation in cross-border economic corridors and infrastructure initiatives. (ANI)