<p align="justify" class="title">At least 40 people were killed and dozens more wounded in multiple blasts at a Shiite cultural centre in Kabul on Wednesday, officials said, in the latest deadly violence to hit the Afghan capital.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">There was no immediate claim of responsibility but the Taliban was quick to deny involvement in the assault near the Afghan Voice Agency, a media outlet which earlier reports had suggested could have been the target.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Deputy interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said the blasts were in fact aimed at the Shiite Tabayan cultural centre.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"A ceremony was being held to mark the 38th anniversary of Soviet invasion in Afghanistan when the explosion went off," he said.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"We have 40 killed, 30 wounded, but this is not the final toll. It might go up," he added.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Rahimi said the main blast was followed by two smaller bomb explosions that did not cause casualties.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Kabul has become one of the deadliest places in war-torn Afghanistan for civilians in recent months, as the Taliban step up their attacks and the Islamic State group (IS) seeks to expand its presence in the country.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Thursday's assault comes days after a suicide bomber killed six civilians in an attack near an Afghan intelligence agency compound in the city, which was claimed by the IS.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext"> A man attending the anniversary ceremony said he heard a "big boom".</p>
<p align="justify" class="title">At least 40 people were killed and dozens more wounded in multiple blasts at a Shiite cultural centre in Kabul on Wednesday, officials said, in the latest deadly violence to hit the Afghan capital.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">There was no immediate claim of responsibility but the Taliban was quick to deny involvement in the assault near the Afghan Voice Agency, a media outlet which earlier reports had suggested could have been the target.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Deputy interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said the blasts were in fact aimed at the Shiite Tabayan cultural centre.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"A ceremony was being held to mark the 38th anniversary of Soviet invasion in Afghanistan when the explosion went off," he said.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"We have 40 killed, 30 wounded, but this is not the final toll. It might go up," he added.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Rahimi said the main blast was followed by two smaller bomb explosions that did not cause casualties.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Kabul has become one of the deadliest places in war-torn Afghanistan for civilians in recent months, as the Taliban step up their attacks and the Islamic State group (IS) seeks to expand its presence in the country.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Thursday's assault comes days after a suicide bomber killed six civilians in an attack near an Afghan intelligence agency compound in the city, which was claimed by the IS.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext"> A man attending the anniversary ceremony said he heard a "big boom".</p>