Suicide attack at mosque kills 7 and injures 18 in Afghanistan
Source: Agencies |
November 7, 2011, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
SEVEN people were killed when one of two suicide bombers blew himself up since the duo targeted worshippers concluding prayers marking a key Muslim festival in northern Afghanistan, officials said yesterday.
The second would-be bomber was captured before he could set off his explosives, according to Lal Mohammad Ahmadzai, spokesman for the regional police commander in the north.
The bombers targeted worshippers leaving a mosque on the outskirts of Baghlan province's Old Baghlan City at the start of Eid al-Adha, the Festival of the Sacrifice.
At least 18 other people were taken to hospital with injuries from the blast, which occurred in Hassin Tal, an area about 10 kilometers east of the city.
Among the seven people killed were two local police commanders, according to Kamen Khan, police chief in Old Baghlan City. One was a well-known local leader named Abdul.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but the Taliban, against which NATO has waged a decade-long war, routinely targets Afghan officials and security forces as well as international forces.
Separately, NATO said one of its service members was killed in an insurgent attack in the south on Saturday. The death raises to 494 the number of coalition troops killed in the country so far this year.
As the US-led coalition and its Afghan partners have focused their operations on Taliban strongholds in the south and east, the insurgency has carried out an increasing number of attacks in the north and west.
NATO is working to hand over full security responsibilities to Afghan forces before the end of 2014, when the coalition plans to withdraw its combat troops from Afghanistan. NATO officials say attacks such as the bombing reported yesterday grab headlines but have little impact on the balance of strength between the government and the insurgents.
However, the bombings raise questions about Afghan forces' ability to tackle the insurgency without their NATO partners. Attacks such as the Baghlan blast in the north could complicate the Afghan government's pursuit of reconciliation with insurgents, as urged by the US.
The second would-be bomber was captured before he could set off his explosives, according to Lal Mohammad Ahmadzai, spokesman for the regional police commander in the north.
The bombers targeted worshippers leaving a mosque on the outskirts of Baghlan province's Old Baghlan City at the start of Eid al-Adha, the Festival of the Sacrifice.
At least 18 other people were taken to hospital with injuries from the blast, which occurred in Hassin Tal, an area about 10 kilometers east of the city.
Among the seven people killed were two local police commanders, according to Kamen Khan, police chief in Old Baghlan City. One was a well-known local leader named Abdul.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but the Taliban, against which NATO has waged a decade-long war, routinely targets Afghan officials and security forces as well as international forces.
Separately, NATO said one of its service members was killed in an insurgent attack in the south on Saturday. The death raises to 494 the number of coalition troops killed in the country so far this year.
As the US-led coalition and its Afghan partners have focused their operations on Taliban strongholds in the south and east, the insurgency has carried out an increasing number of attacks in the north and west.
NATO is working to hand over full security responsibilities to Afghan forces before the end of 2014, when the coalition plans to withdraw its combat troops from Afghanistan. NATO officials say attacks such as the bombing reported yesterday grab headlines but have little impact on the balance of strength between the government and the insurgents.
However, the bombings raise questions about Afghan forces' ability to tackle the insurgency without their NATO partners. Attacks such as the Baghlan blast in the north could complicate the Afghan government's pursuit of reconciliation with insurgents, as urged by the US.
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