Afghanistan was rocked by two bombings in the heart of the nation’s capital, Kabul, early Monday morning. So far, there have been 31 reported casualties, 9 of whom were journalists. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack, and CNN reports that the Islamic State “named the first bomber as Qaqaa al-Kurdi and the second attacker as Khalil al-Qurshi.”
The first attack took place in the Shashdarak area of the city, site of the American Embassy and Afghan government buildings, at around 8 a.m local time. Journalists had congregated in the area to report on the bombing when another bomber, posing as a cameraman, detonated a second round of explosives, killing the 9 journalists and other bystanders. One of the reporters killed was Shah Marai, a prominent photographer and correspondent for Agence France Presse.
“This is a devastating blow, for the brave staff of our close-knit Kabul bureau and the entire agency,” said AFP Global News Director Michele Leridon in a statement. “Shah Marai was a treasured colleague who spent more than 15 years documenting the tragic conflict in Afghanistan for AFP.”