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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Many killed in Afghan explosion | Many killed in Afghan explosion |
| (about 1 hour 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. |
| Meanwhile, Nato says two of its soldiers have been killed in a roadside bomb attack in the south. | |
| No further details were immediately available. | |
| A US and UK military offensive against the Taliban is underway in the troubled southern province of Helmand. | |
| Foreign forces have sustained heavy losses in recent days in Afghanistan, including at least seven British soldiers killed. | |
| 'Truck exploded' | |
| 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 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. | 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. | "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." | "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 | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | Afghan intelligence officials believe that militants use the province to smuggle weapons and fighters in to the Afghan capital. |