Suicide attack kills 10 in S Afghanistan

Source: Xinhua | 01-09-2009 17:00

KABUL, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- A suicide attack Friday morning killed at least 10 people including one targeted police official in southern Afghan province of Nimroz, Ghulam Dastaghir Azad, the provincial governor, told Xinhua.

"It occurred at around 11:45 a.m. local time (0715 GMT) when a suicide bomber blew himself up near the car of one police official Gul Mohammad at a local fruit market of Zaranj, capital of Nimroz province," Azad said.

He said police found four bodies lying on the spot including the targeted police official and his driver along with two other civilians. "Gul Mohammad was working as deputy official in operational department in provincial police headquarters."

The governor said it is estimated that at least 10 people were killed and three more wounded in the huge blast with some bodies of victims still buried under the ruins.

No one or groups have yet to claim responsibility but Taliban militants fighting against Afghan government often carried out such attacks.

It was the second suicide attack in the riot southern Afghanistan in two days. One suicide bomber Thursday afternoon exploded himself near a patrol of NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) stationed in southern Afghan province of Kandahar, killing at least five including two foreign soldiers.

Conflicts and Taliban-linked insurgency have left more than 5,000 people dead with some 2,000 civilians and 293 foreign troops in 2008, despite some 70,000-strong international troops stationed in militancy-plagued Afghanistan.

Editor:Zhang Yun