Afghan president condemns public gathering attack in Kabul

Kabul, March 7 (Xinhua) -- AFGHAN President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has strongly condemned the mortar attack on a huge gathering in western Kabul vicinity that killed at least four civilians and injured 31 others, the Presidential Palace said Thursday.

Several rounds of mortars struck near or inside Shahid Mazari Musalla, a big open mosque building at around midday in Dashti Barchi locality.

The president denounced the attack as a terrorist and criminal act, and enmity to the civil and human values, the palace said in a statement.

Those among the injured were at least two politicians, several women and children while two civilians were killed and three others injured inside their house near the targeted compound.

The mortar shells were fired from a house in Kabul Police District 18 and security forces detained three of the assailants after cordoning off the house.

No group has claimed responsibility for the inside so far.