A powerful explosion Saturday ripped through crowds of minority Shiite Hazaras in Kabul who had gathered to protest over a power line, killing at least 61 people and leaving 207 others wounded

A powerful explosion Saturday ripped through crowds of minority Shiite Hazaras in Kabul who had gathered to protest over a power line, killing at least 61 people and leaving 207 others wounded, officials said.

ISIL Takfiri terrorists claimed responsibility for the bombing.

According to police, one of the attackers successfully detonated his explosive, while the second one only managed to defectively explode himself. A third assailant was shot dead by security forces before he could detonate his vest.

President Ashraf Ghani condemned the bombings and said he was “deeply saddened” by the terrorist attack.

“Opportunist terrorists went among the protesters and set off explosions that killed and wounded a number of our countrymen including security and defense personnel.”

“Peaceful protest is the right of every citizen,” the Afghan president added.

The demonstrators were chanting “Justice” and “Death to discrimination” during the protest.