Afghanistan: At least 30 dead in 2 suicide attacks

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) – Two back-to-back suicide attacks in central Afghanistan on Sunday killed at least 30 people, including both soldiers and civilians, officials confirmed.

Naseer Ahmad, head of the provincial council in Ghazni, told Anadolu Agency that a suicide car bombing targeted security forces during the morning rush hour.

According to the country’s Defense Ministry, nine soldiers lost their lives and seven were wounded in the attack in Ghazni’s Deh Yak district. It said in a statement that the attacker had tried to drive a car packed with explosives inside a military base, but was spotted by security forces.

It is worth noting that this particular base on the outskirts of the provincial capital was recently handed over by the police to the army.

In the past three years, Ghazni has briefly fallen twice to the Taliban insurgents.

In the neighboring Zabul province, Atta Jan, the prominent chairman of the provincial council, survived a deadly suicide car bombing aimed at his convoy on Sunday morning, police confirmed.

According to the provincial police command, the attack took place when Jan’s convoy was taking him to his office, killing one person and injuring more than 20 others, mostly civilians.

There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for either attack.