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Taliban suicide truck bomb kills six at Afghanistan police compound | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Six people have been killed after a Taliban suicide truck bomber struck a police compound in Afghanistan, in the first major insurgent attack since the announcement of leader Mullah Omar’s death. | Six people have been killed after a Taliban suicide truck bomber struck a police compound in Afghanistan, in the first major insurgent attack since the announcement of leader Mullah Omar’s death. |
The attack in Pul-i-Alam, the capital of the country’s restive Logar province , south of Kabul, highlights growing insecurity as Afghan forces face their first summer fighting season without full Nato support. | |
The bombing coincides with a faltering peace process, with the Taliban confronted by an increasingly bitter power transition after Mullah Akhtar Mansoor was announced as the new leader last Friday. | The bombing coincides with a faltering peace process, with the Taliban confronted by an increasingly bitter power transition after Mullah Akhtar Mansoor was announced as the new leader last Friday. |
Related: Mullah Akhtar Mansoor: Taliban's new leader has a reputation for moderation | Related: Mullah Akhtar Mansoor: Taliban's new leader has a reputation for moderation |
“A water truck filled with explosives was detonated when it was stopped at the gate of the quick reaction force [police] compound,” said deputy provincial police chief Mohammad Qari Wara. “It was a powerful explosion which killed three members of the quick reaction force and three civilians.” | “A water truck filled with explosives was detonated when it was stopped at the gate of the quick reaction force [police] compound,” said deputy provincial police chief Mohammad Qari Wara. “It was a powerful explosion which killed three members of the quick reaction force and three civilians.” |
An official from the provincial governor’s office confirmed the death toll, adding that eight civilians, including a child, had been wounded. | |
The force of the explosion damaged government buildings nearby, while the site of the attack was littered with debris and shards of broken glass. | The force of the explosion damaged government buildings nearby, while the site of the attack was littered with debris and shards of broken glass. |
The Afghan interior ministry said Thursday’s bombing was the first suicide attack since the Taliban confirmed the death of Omar, who led the militant movement for about 20 years. | The Afghan interior ministry said Thursday’s bombing was the first suicide attack since the Taliban confirmed the death of Omar, who led the militant movement for about 20 years. |
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, with spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid saying a “Mazda truck packed with heavy explosives … killed more than 100 security personnel”. | The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, with spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid saying a “Mazda truck packed with heavy explosives … killed more than 100 security personnel”. |
Taliban insurgents routinely exaggerate the death toll in attacks on Afghan government and military targets. But in a rare admission, Mujahid said “some civilians may have been wounded as a result of broken glass”. The Taliban do not usually claim responsibility for attacks which result in a large number of civilian casualties. | Taliban insurgents routinely exaggerate the death toll in attacks on Afghan government and military targets. But in a rare admission, Mujahid said “some civilians may have been wounded as a result of broken glass”. The Taliban do not usually claim responsibility for attacks which result in a large number of civilian casualties. |
Civilian casualties in Afghanistan hit a record high in the first half of 2015, a UN report said on Wednesday, as Afghan forces struggle to contain the expanding conflict six months after the Nato combat mission ended. | Civilian casualties in Afghanistan hit a record high in the first half of 2015, a UN report said on Wednesday, as Afghan forces struggle to contain the expanding conflict six months after the Nato combat mission ended. |
Related: Taliban officially announce death of Mullah Omar | Related: Taliban officially announce death of Mullah Omar |
The report said 1,592 civilians were killed, a 6% fall from last year, but the number of injured rose 4% to 3,329. The casualties have reached their highest level since UN reports began in 2009. | The report said 1,592 civilians were killed, a 6% fall from last year, but the number of injured rose 4% to 3,329. The casualties have reached their highest level since UN reports began in 2009. |
The statistics indicate rising violence as the Taliban insurgency spreads north from its traditional southern and eastern strongholds, with Afghan forces increasingly battling the militants on their own. | The statistics indicate rising violence as the Taliban insurgency spreads north from its traditional southern and eastern strongholds, with Afghan forces increasingly battling the militants on their own. |
US-led Nato forces ended their mission in Afghanistan in December, but a 13,000-strong force remains for training and counter-terrorism operations. | |
The Taliban face growing internal divisions after Mansoor’s appointment. An acrimonious power struggle has broken out, casting a pall over a fragile peace process aimed at ending Afghanistan’s long war. | The Taliban face growing internal divisions after Mansoor’s appointment. An acrimonious power struggle has broken out, casting a pall over a fragile peace process aimed at ending Afghanistan’s long war. |
The Taliban distanced itself from the second round of talks with the Afghan government that were scheduled for last Friday and cancelled after the announcement of Omar’s death. |