Taliban bomber, battle kill at least 9 in north Afghanistan
By Associated Press
KABUL: A Taliban suicide car bomber struck Monday in northern Afghanistan, setting off a gunbattle between insurgents and government forces that killed at least nine people and wounded dozens, officials said.
The attack took place in the Samangan provincial capital of Aybak. Raz Mohamamd Khan, a provincial council member, said the nine dead included a woman. He said there were 63 wounded but warned those were only initial figures and that the casualty toll could rise further.
At lest two Taliban attackers were killed in the shootout, Khan added.
Earlier, a provincial hospital chief, Abdul Khalil Musadiq, said at least 43 wounded – mostly civilians, including children – were taken to hospitals in the area.
- Roche, Cipla Launch Antibody Cocktail Casirivimab and Imdevimab in India. Check Price, Details
- Woman ‘bought by husband’ for Rs 40,000 tries to sell 5-year-old daughter for Rs 500
- Delhi reported 25 dengue cases till May 22, highest in Jan-May period since 2013
- WILL INDIA BLOCK FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM IN 2 DAYS AS NEW IT RULES COME INTO EFFECT?
- DELHI POLICE VISITS TWITTER INDIA OFFICES IN DELHI, GURUGRAM AMID ‘CONGRESS TOOLKIT CONTROVERSY’
The bomber targeted the intelligence service department in Aybak and the explosion was a signal for other Taliban fighters to storm in and engage in a shootout with Afghan forces, according to Mohammad Hashim Sarwari, deputy chief for the provincial council.
He said the blast was so strong it was heard miles away and damaged buildings and homes within a wide radius.
Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, said the Taliban – who are active in the province and have recently stepped up attacks there – were behind the bombing and the attack.
The fighting lasted for hours and details remained sketchy because of the remote area. Samangan, along an ancient caravan route, has seen an uptick in Taliban attacks but there have also been clashes between rival warlords in the area, and some Islamic militants, mostly Uzbeks affiliated more with the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, are also active there.
On Sunday, the Taliban attacked checkpoints in northern Kunduz province, killing at least 14 members of the Afghan security forces, according to Esmatullah Muradi, a spokesman for the provincial governor.
In Imam Sahib district, the Taliban killed eight policemen, while in the Chardara district they gunned down three soldiers and three pro-government fighters, he said. Reinforcement were sent late on Sunday and fighting continued until Monday morning.
The Taliban said they were behind the attacks but claimed that government forces fired mortars in response, hitting civilian homes – a claimed that was dismissed by the Ministry of Defense.
The Taliban and government forces have been trading blame over a recent surge in attacks across Afghanistan – even as efforts continue to try and bring about the start of direct peace talks between Kabul and the insurgents.
The Taliban accuses government forces of targeting them in their homes, with their families bearing the brunt of those operations. Kabul, meanwhile, has accuse the Taliban of stepping up attacks against both civilians and the security forces.
Taliban bomber, battle kill at least 9 in north Afghanistan
stay connected with us! For more updates
LIKE SHARE and SUBSCRIBE
if you like the article information then press the like button, Comments you’re opinions about this article and share it with family and friends on social media platforms
SUSCRIBE Quickclarity news to get latest news updates
Disclaimer : This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Quickclarity news.
Publisher – The New Indian Express
Thank you for reading
QUICKCLARITY 