Kabul: Two suicide explosions hit a line of Afghan police buses in the western part of Kabul on Thursday, leaving at least 30 people dead, authorities said. The attack, claimed by the Taliban, occurred at around midday in Qala-e-Haidar Khan, an area on the western outskirts of Kabul, and also injured nearly 60 others.

“Five green-coloured police buses were running along Kabul-Kandahar road. One suicide car bomber struck one bus at the middle of the convoy, forcing the vehicles to stop. The second bomber arrived and detonated his car bomb roughly 20 minutes later after arrival of rescue teams and people,” said a witness.

The buses were reportedly carrying about 500 cadets and newly-graduates from a police training centre in neighbouring Wardak province to central Kabul. The victims were travelling to join their families to celebrate Eid which marks the end of Ramadan or fasting month.

Several bystanders were among the killed and injured. One bus was destroyed and four buses and several civilian vehicles were damaged in the deadly attack.

Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani strongly condemned the incident. He has ordered a thorough investigation to find how the decision on transportation of a large number of police graduates was made, according to a statement issued by the Presidential Palace.

The Taliban-led insurgency has been rampant since early April when the militant group launched its annual rebel offensive in different areas of the country. The Taliban urged civilians to stay away from official gatherings, military convoys and centres regarded as legitimate targets by the militants besides warning people not to support the government.

On June 10, a Taliban suicide attacker killed 14 people, including 12 Nepali security guards, and injured nine others in eastern Kabul.