Mohammad Asif Waziri, a spokesman for the security department of Balkh, said that an explosion targeting a car carrying employees of the Department of Mines and Petroleum occurred in PD3 of Mazar, leaving seven people dead and six wounded.

According to Waziri, the explosion was a roadside bomb.

“A blast occurred in PD3 of Mazar city. Unfortunately, the explosion hit a car carrying (Mines and Petroleum) Department employees while they were going to their jobs. According to the most recent information from the hospital, 7 people were killed, and 6 others are wounded,” Mohammad Asif Waziri, a spokesman of the Balkh security department, told TOLOnews.

However, officials at the provincial hospital said that they received eight dead bodies and nine wounded.

“Eight dead bodies and nine wounded people have been brought to the state hospital from today’s blast,” said Najibullah Tawana, head of the hospital.

No one has claimed responsibility for the blast.

“A blast occurred, the glass shattered and one side of my car was also destroyed,” said Mohammad Baqir, a witness.

Some of the wounded are reportedly in critical condition.

“I was reciting the (holy) Quran while the sound of the blast occurred and I saw everyone was lying everywhere,” a wounded person said.