Wednesday, February 10, 2010

November 20, 2009 17:00 PM

Suicide Bombing Kills 13 In West Afghanistan

KABUL, Nov 20 (Bernama) -- A suicide bombing in west Afghanistan's Farah province Friday morning kills 13 with 47 others wounded thus far, China's Xinhua news agency reported quoting provincial governor Rohul Amin as saying.

He said the wounded are being treated in a hospital of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) provincial reconstruction team, with 15 in critical condition.

The attack targeted a police checkpoint near his office, he added.

The blast occurred at 9 a.m. Friday, when the suicide bomber rode a motor cycle and blew himself up in a bazaar near the governor's office.

One of the victims was a policeman, and all others were civilians, according to the Afghan Interior Ministry. Two policemen were among the wounded.

Meanwhile, three civilians were killed and three others were injured as their car hit a roadside bomb Friday in Khost city, the capital of Khost province, in eastern Afghanistan, police said.

The attacks came one day after the incumbent Afghan President Hamid Karzai was sworn in for the second five-year term in the capital Kabul.

In his inaugural speech, Karzai stressed to continue the national reconciliation policy for having durable peace in the country and called on armed opposition to lay down arms and resume their normal life.

But Taliban insurgents have laid strict conditions for reconciliation talks, which include the pullout of foreign troops for holding talks with the Afghan government.

In the past one week, Taliban insurgents launched a fresh round of attacks on military and civilian targets in Afghanistan.

On Monday, three rockets fired by Taliban militants hit a crowded bazaar in Kapisa province, 80 km northeast of Kabul, killing 10 Afghan civilians and injuring 29 others.

On Thursday, at least one foreign soldier and 10 Afghan civilians were killed, and dozens of others were wounded in four separate bombing incidents in Afghanistan.

-- BERNAMA

We provide (subscription-based) 
news coverage in our Newswire service.