Afghanistan: 18 people killed in car-suicide bombing

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - A car-suicide bombing in Afghanistan’s Khost province has claimed at least 18 lives on the first day of holy month of Ramadan in the country.

Locals told Anadolu Agency the attacker apparently targeted the Afghan security forces’ convoy in the provincial capital Khost City.

Najib Danish, deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Interior (MoI) has said in a tweet that 18 people have died, 6 including two children are wounded. It is not clear how many civilians and security forces have been killed in this attack.

Mohammadeen Mohammadi, head of the public health department in the province, told Anadolu Agency at least one injured civilian is in critical state.

The first day of Ramadan is public holiday in Afghanistan. In clear defiance to the United Nation’s Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)’s call for cease-fire in this holy month, the Taliban announced on Friday they would in fact intensify their attacks this month.