Muttaqi speaks with Lavrov after explosion at Russian Embassy in Kabul

Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi spoke with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov late Monday after an explosion outside the Russian Embassy in Kabul killed two embassy staff members earlier in the day.

In a phone call, Muttaqi assured Lavrov a thorough investigation would be carried out.

He also said Kabul and Moscow should not allow such acts to undermine “close and positive” relations between the two countries.

Muttaqi also told Lavrov the Afghan security forces will pay special attention to the embassy’s security.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry an explosive device was detonated at the gate of the consulate department of the embassy.

“At 10:50 am Kabul time on Monday, an unidentified attacker activated an explosive device right outside the entry to the consulate department of the Russian embassy in Kabul. Two embassy employees were killed in the attack, with several Afghan citizens injured,” the ministry said in a statement.

The Russian embassy is in close contact with Afghanistan’s special services, who have launched a probe into the incident, Russia’s Foreign Ministry added.

Earlier in the day, the Press Secretary for Russia’s President, Dmitry Peskov described the incident as a terrorist act.

“Of course, this is a terrorist act, absolutely unacceptable. In general, we strongly condemn such a terrorist act and, of course, now the main thing that needs to be done is to get information from the field about what happened to our diplomatic representatives. I understand that the information will now be refined,” Peskov told reporters.