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Many killed in Afghan explosion | Many killed in Afghan explosion |
(about 3 hours later) | |
At least 25 people, including a number of children, have been killed in an explosion in central Afghanistan, officials say. | At least 25 people, including a number of children, have been killed in an explosion in central Afghanistan, officials say. |
The blast in Mohammad Agha district in Logar province happened after a truck carrying timber overturned on a road. | The blast in Mohammad Agha district in Logar province happened after a truck carrying timber overturned on a road. |
The vehicle blew up as the authorities were trying to remove it and clear the road, local police told the BBC. | The vehicle blew up as the authorities were trying to remove it and clear the road, local police told the BBC. |
Logar province lies immediately to the south of Kabul and is a major centre for the Taliban insurgency. | Logar province lies immediately to the south of Kabul and is a major centre for the Taliban insurgency. |
The explosion happened on a main road from southern and eastern Afghanistan that leads into the capital, Kabul early on Thursday. | |
The residents of Soark Abad village found an overturned truck with a punctured tyre and called in the police, a senior ministry of education official told the BBC. | |
"Two police vehicles arrived at the spot. As soon as the vehicles arrived, the truck exploded," Gen Aminullah Amarkhel said. | |
"The power of the explosion was so powerful that it shattered the glasses of nearby houses and scattered wood, debris and other things around. A lot of people working in the farms also got hurt." | |
Four of the dead were police officers but the rest were civilians including many children, police authorities in Mohammad Agha told the BBC. | Four of the dead were police officers but the rest were civilians including many children, police authorities in Mohammad Agha told the BBC. |
Photo: Bilal Sarwary File picture of the highway which connects Kabul with Gardez and goes through Logar" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0">Taliban have attacked troops on a key highway in Logar | |
Reports say that some people have also been wounded but police say they cannot confirm the exact number of injuries. | Reports say that some people have also been wounded but police say they cannot confirm the exact number of injuries. |
Afghanistan's interior ministry has blamed the attack on insurgents. Local police officials said that the explosives were possibly being taken to Kabul for a planned attack. | |
Local authorities had earlier told the BBC that it was not clear whether insurgents were responsible for the explosion. | |
The BBC's Bilal Sarwary says that the key Kabul-Gardez highway that connects Kabul with south-eastern Afghanistan passes through Logar province and Taliban and al-Qaeda militants have targeted Afghan and international forces there before. | |
Afghan intelligence officials believe that militants use the province to smuggle weapons and fighters in to the Afghan capital. | |
A US military offensive against the Taliban is underway in Afghanistan troubled southern province of Helmand. | A US military offensive against the Taliban is underway in Afghanistan troubled southern province of Helmand. |