A series of militant attacks killed dozens of people on Tuesday all across Afghanistan, including five UAE diplomats visiting the country to discuss humanitarian and developmental projects to aid the strife-torn nation.

Up to 38 people are reported dead and approximately 80 wounded in twin bombings near the Afghan Parliament office compound in Kabul. An explosion also transpired at the governor's guesthouse in Kandahar, killing at least 11 people and injuring 18, including the provincial governor and United Arab Emirates ambassador.

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Many officials fear that the number of fatalities would rise, which are currently over 50 combined.

Kabul Twin Bombings Outside the Parliament

The hardline Taliban Islamic movement, who has been waging war for 15 years against the US-backed government, issued a statement claiming responsibility for the Parliament bombings.

"We planned this attack for quite some time and the plan was to target some senior officers of the intelligence agency," a Taliban spokesman said.

The Kabul attack took place when a suicide bomber detonated explosives outside the entrance as staff were leaving the parliament complex during rush hour. A few minutes later, a passing car in front of the compound blew up, killing and wounding civilians and parliament personnel.

An injured parliament security guard named Zabi said it was caused by a suicide bomber on foot. He also added that the car containing the bomb was parked on the other side of the road.

Kandahar Explosion at the Governor's House

The Emirates ambassador and other dignitaries were in Afghanistan "in a mission to carry out humanitarian, educational and development projects," WAM, UAE's official news agency, announced. The Emirati diplomats were visiting to lay the foundation stone for the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan orphanage and to sign scholarship agreements with Kardan University, both funded by UAE.

The victims were attending a dinner party at the provincial governor Homayun Azizi's guesthouse in Kandahar when the blast befell. The ongoing construction project at the heavily guarded compound is believed to have given the militants an opportunity to plant and hide the bomb inside a sofa, killing 11 people and wounding 18.

Among the casualties are five UAE humanitarians, two lawmakers, a deputy governor from Kandahar, and an Afghan diplomat stationed in Washington.

The Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE prime minister and vice president, said on Twitter that "there is no human, moral or religious justification for the bombing and killing of people trying to help."

Although the Taliban may have admitted accountability to the Afghan-capital assault, the group has but denied involvement on the Kandahar blast, blaming the act of violence on "internal local rivalry." They have denied attacks in the past that security forces later attributed to the alliance.

Abu Dhabi's crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also said on Twitter that the country will not be discouraged by "despicable terrorist acts carried out by forces of evil and darkness."

TagsAfghanistan, Terrorist attack, bombing, Taliban