Attack on an Afghan Intelligence Agency Center in Central Kabul

One day after a suicide bombing at an educational center in a Shia neighborhood of Kabul left dozens dead, the city witnessed an armed attack on an educational center of the Afghan intelligence agency early Thursday morning. The Afghan Ministry of Interior reports that clashes between Afghan security forces and the armed individuals are still ongoing in the fifth security district of Kabul. Najib Danish, a spokesperson for the ministry, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Afghanistan section that three or four armed individuals have taken position in an unfinished building since 10 a.m. and are shooting towards the educational center of the National Security Agency of Afghanistan. Some reports indicate that the attackers fired RPGs and explosions were heard in the area. Hashmat Stanikzai, a spokesperson for the Kabul police, also told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that Afghan security forces have arrived at the scene and have surrounded the area of the conflict. No group has claimed responsibility for this attack yet. This attack comes on the heels of a suicide bombing on Wednesday at an educational center in a Shia neighborhood of Kabul that killed dozens, most of whom were students. Initial reports from news agencies indicated 48 fatalities, but Afghan officials have now revised that number to 34. Additionally, 56 people were injured in the explosion. The suicide bombing occurred in the Shia-dominated Dasht-e Barchi area of Kabul and targeted an educational center named 'Mahdi Mua'ud.' The explosion took place in a classroom, and the victims were primarily Hazara students preparing for university education. No individual or group has claimed responsibility for this suicide bombing, but Afghan officials accuse ISIS of being involved. ISIS considers Shia Muslims as 'infidels' and has repeatedly attacked their locations in Afghanistan. Over the past two years, at least 13 attacks have been carried out against Shia sites in Kabul alone. Meanwhile, Afghan and U.S. government forces have intensified their attacks on ISIS militants, and the Taliban has also increased its assaults on this group. Although the Taliban is engaged with ISIS, it has not reduced its pressure on the Afghan army and launched a major offensive against the city of Ghazni this week, but government forces managed to repel this attack with significant casualties. In another development, the Taliban announced on Wednesday that it is revoking its security guarantee for the International Red Cross in Afghanistan. According to the Taliban, the organization has neglected prisoners who went on hunger strikes in the 'Pol-e Charkhi' prison in Kabul and failed to provide them with necessary medical care. The Taliban stated in a press release: 'The Islamic Emirate will no longer guarantee the safety of the lives and property of International Red Cross staff until they reach an agreement with the Islamic Emirate and rectify their actions.'