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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Many dead in Afghan suicide blast | Many dead in Afghan suicide blast |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A suicide bomber has killed at least 15 people and wounded 14 others in eastern Afghanistan, Nato says. | A suicide bomber has killed at least 15 people and wounded 14 others in eastern Afghanistan, Nato says. |
| The explosion took place in Nangarhar province close to Pakistan. Nato says Afghan troops are among the casualties. | The explosion took place in Nangarhar province close to Pakistan. Nato says Afghan troops are among the casualties. |
| There were international soldiers in the area at the time of the attack but they were not hurt, the alliance says. | There were international soldiers in the area at the time of the attack but they were not hurt, the alliance says. |
| The Taleban, who have been fighting foreign and Afghan troops since they were overthrown in 2001, said they carried out the attack. | The Taleban, who have been fighting foreign and Afghan troops since they were overthrown in 2001, said they carried out the attack. |
| The BBC's Alastair Leithead in Kabul says there has already been a significant increase in the number of attacks in eastern Afghanistan in the first few months of this year compared with 2007. | The BBC's Alastair Leithead in Kabul says there has already been a significant increase in the number of attacks in eastern Afghanistan in the first few months of this year compared with 2007. |
| 'Confusion' | 'Confusion' |
| Tuesday's blast occurred in Khogyani district south of the city of Jalalabad. | Tuesday's blast occurred in Khogyani district south of the city of Jalalabad. |
| Reports said officials and villagers were attending an anti-drugs meeting when the bomber struck. | Reports said officials and villagers were attending an anti-drugs meeting when the bomber struck. |
| "Insurgents engaged with small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades," Major Martin O'Donnell, a spokesman for the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), told the French news agency AFP. | "Insurgents engaged with small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades," Major Martin O'Donnell, a spokesman for the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), told the French news agency AFP. |
| "It appears that when that happened, people went for cover. They [the attackers] snuck a suicide bomber in the midst of the confusion." | "It appears that when that happened, people went for cover. They [the attackers] snuck a suicide bomber in the midst of the confusion." |
| An Isaf statement said a number of Afghan troops were among those killed and wounded. | An Isaf statement said a number of Afghan troops were among those killed and wounded. |
| One man who witnessed the attack said he had seen a young boy carrying white papers approach the crowd. | One man who witnessed the attack said he had seen a young boy carrying white papers approach the crowd. |
| "All of a sudden I saw a big, red flame from among the crowd where the boy was standing and a big explosion followed," the man told AFP. | "All of a sudden I saw a big, red flame from among the crowd where the boy was standing and a big explosion followed," the man told AFP. |
| "People were running and some were screaming. I don't remember much." | "People were running and some were screaming. I don't remember much." |
| Major O'Donnell said Isaf soldiers were in the area but it was not yet clear if they were the target of the attack. | Major O'Donnell said Isaf soldiers were in the area but it was not yet clear if they were the target of the attack. |
| He said no Isaf soldiers were wounded. Other reports from local officials said an even higher number of people had been injured. | He said no Isaf soldiers were wounded. Other reports from local officials said an even higher number of people had been injured. |
| A Taleban spokesman said the movement had carried out the attack. | A Taleban spokesman said the movement had carried out the attack. |
| "We claim responsibility for the blast in Khogyani," the man, who identified himself as Qari Sajad, was quoted by AFP as saying. | "We claim responsibility for the blast in Khogyani," the man, who identified himself as Qari Sajad, was quoted by AFP as saying. |
| "It was a suicide attack carried out by one of our friends named Abdullah." | "It was a suicide attack carried out by one of our friends named Abdullah." |
| Taleban fighters launched scores of suicide attacks and other bombings last year. Most of those killed were civilians. | |
| Karzai plot | |
| Meanwhile, Afghanistan's intelligence chief has said President Hamid Karzai was warned of a plot to assassinate him weeks before Sunday's attack on a Kabul military parade. | |
| Amrullah Saleh told parliament the security services had failed in their duty to prevent the attack, from which Mr Karzai escaped unharmed. Three other people died. | |
| The Taleban say they carried out the attack and that three of their fighters were killed. |