Kabul Blast at Funeral for Protest Victim Leaves at Least 10 Dead

At least 10 people were killed Saturday in Kabul when three explosions hit the funeral of a senator’s son who was killed during protests Friday in Afghanistan’s capital city.

Several government officials and members of parliament, including Afghan chief executive Abdullah Abdullah, were in attendance at the funeral for the son of Sen. Alam Ezadyar.

The funeral attack came as a large portion of Kabul is on lockdown following protests Friday that have continued into Saturday. At least four Afghans were killed Friday when protesters demanding better security clashed with riot police in Kabul.

Witnesses say police fired live rounds into the air to disperse hundreds of stone-throwing demonstrators.

Public anger has been mounting since a devastating truck bomb explosion Wednesday at the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. One of the worst attacks since 2001 killed 90 people and wounded more than 450 others.

More than a thousand demonstrators, many carrying pictures of bomb victims, gathered Friday near the site of the blast and marched toward the presidential palace, demanding the resignation of the Afghan government. Some protesters burned effigies of President Ashraf Ghani.

Riot police used water cannons and tear gas to push the protesters back and also fired live bullets over the heads of the crowd. Hospital workers say at least four people died.

No one has yet claimed responsibility for the either the attack Wednesday or the Friday funeral explosions.

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