Afghanistan: Explosion in Herat kills at least three people, injures 46 late March 12 /update 1

Event

An apparent car bomb detonated near a police facility in Herat's Police District (PD) 14 late March 12. The blast killed at least three people and injured 46 others; official casualty figures are likely to rise in the coming hours. The explosion caused significant damage to several buildings in the immediate vicinity, with at least superficial damage such as broken windows being reported over a large area. Power outages have been reported in parts of Herat near the scene; the blast may have damaged utility infrastructure. There have been no immediate claims of responsibility for the attack, though Afghan officials blamed the Taliban for the explosion.

Heightened security is likely near the incident site in the coming hours. Ground transport and business disruptions are likely. Power outages may exacerbate localized disruptions in some areas.

Advice

Avoid the blast site. Plan for localized travel disruptions. Heed the instructions of the security forces.