The twin blasts in Dasth-e-Barchi area in the west of Kabul left 35 athletes dead and almost 50 others wounded, an eyewitness and head of the Maiwand Gym which was the primary target of the first blast said on Friday.  

So far, government has confirmed 26 people dead and over 80 others wounded in the two explosions. The first explosion was a suicide bombing and the second was a remote controlled car bomb blast. 

“When I went inside the gym, I saw that at least 35 people were killed and some of them were in a critical condition,” Ahmad Zia Ahmadi, head of Maiwand Gym, told TOLOnews.

Residents and athletes said the wrestlers of the gym were famous for their help in addressing people’s problems, especially in assisting those who sustained injuries in insurgent activities. They said the athletes also helped victims’ families. 

“When there was a suicide attack or explosion, they would appear at the scene before everyone. They would use their strength in helping the wounded and even were donating their blood,” said Ghulam Reza, relative of a victim. 

Shir Ahmad, a wrestler of Maiwand Gym, who has sustained injury in the bombings said his cousin was killed in the incident and that three members of his family were wounded. 

“When I went inside the gym, I saw everything was overturned,” said Shir Ahmad. 

People said all the nearby people are familiar with wrestlers of the gym because they always helped people when there was an incident, but now their families need help.