12 killed as suicide attack rocks eastern Afghan provincial capital

About 12 persons were killed and over 40 others wounded when a suicide bomber targeted a local leader in Asadabad, capital of Afghanistan's eastern province of Kunar on Saturday, an official said.

"The incident occurred roughly at 09:00 a.m. local time (0430 GMT) near the provincial governor office. Some 11 persons and the bomber died on the spot and 40 others wounded," provincial governor Wahidullah Kalimzai told reporters.

The target of the attack was Hajji Khan Jan, a pro-government local leader, who died along with three of his men by the attack, according to provincial source.

"Khan also controlled a unit of Afghan Local Police (ALP) unit in neighboring Dangam district. He was also a key member of local uprising group that fights Taliban insurgents in Dangam and surrounding areas," the source told Xinhua.

Governor Kalimzai also confirmed the death of Khan, saying "most of the victims were civilians but several army soldiers and local police members were among the affected people. The death toll could rise, as many injured remain in critical condition."

The blast also damaged several shops and houses.

Several injured were shifted from Asadabad, 180 km east of Kabul, to neighboring Nangarhar province to receive intensive treatment.

No group has claimed responsibility yet for the attack, but the Taliban insurgent group routinely claims responsibility for such attacks.

The Taliban has intensified attacks across the country since the start of this year, which coincides with the potential resumption of government-Taliban peace talks.

More than 3,540 civilians were killed and over 7,450 injured as the violence spread in different places of the war-hit country last year, according to a report released by the UN mission in the country on Feb. 14.

The report has attributed 62 percent of the casualties to the Taliban and other insurgent groups, 17 percent were attributed to security forces while the rest 21 percent of the casualties were unattributed or caused by explosive remnants of wars.
  [Xinhua]
  27/2/16
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