Suicide attack strikes Afghanistan funeral
At least 20 people, including an MP, killed and 50 injured in bombing in northern province of Takhar.
Last Modified: 25 Dec 2011 12:43
At least 20 people including an Afghan member of parliament were killed in a suicide attack on a funeral procession in northeast Afghanistan, a police official told Al Jazeera.
A further 50 people were injured in Sundays attack in the commercial city of Taloqan in Takhar province, according to the deputy police chief of the province. Other officials said the number of casualties was lower.
"In a funeral ceremony this afternoon a suicide attacker targeted the gathering killing 15 people including Abdul Mutalib Baik, a member of parliament from Takhar," said Abdul Jabar Taqwa, governor of Takhar province.
Takhar police chief, General Khair Mohammad Temor, confirmed the attack in the provincial capital.
"A suicide attacker wearing a suicide vest attacked a funeral procession in Taluqan city in Takhar," he said, adding that the death toll may rise.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility and the Taliban, who are leading a 10-year insurgency against international and Afghan government forces, were not reachable for comment.
Sayed Ikramuddin Masomi, another parliamentarian from Takhar province, confirmed that Baik had died.
"The suicide attacker killed 10 innocent people and unfortunately Abdul Mutaleb Baik was among them," he said in a telephone interview.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. But over the past year, the Taliban have repeatedly struck at prominent government figures.
General Daud Daud, the police chief of northern Afghanistan, and Mohammad Omar, the governor of Kunduz, were also killed in Takhar during the past year.
Security in the north, which remained relatively secure in the early years of the war, has deteriorated recently as Afghan and coalition forces have focused their campaign in the south, and the east along the border with Pakistan.
Seperately, the interior ministry said Sunday that security forces killed 30 suspected fighters in a series of clashes around the country.
A ministry statement said army, police and NATO troops launched a total of 11 operations in the past 24 hours across the country. It said seven opposition fighters were arrested.
Source: Agencies
Suicide attack strikes Afghanistan funeral - Central & South Asia - Al Jazeera English
At least 20 people, including an MP, killed and 50 injured in bombing in northern province of Takhar.
Last Modified: 25 Dec 2011 12:43
At least 20 people including an Afghan member of parliament were killed in a suicide attack on a funeral procession in northeast Afghanistan, a police official told Al Jazeera.
A further 50 people were injured in Sundays attack in the commercial city of Taloqan in Takhar province, according to the deputy police chief of the province. Other officials said the number of casualties was lower.
"In a funeral ceremony this afternoon a suicide attacker targeted the gathering killing 15 people including Abdul Mutalib Baik, a member of parliament from Takhar," said Abdul Jabar Taqwa, governor of Takhar province.
Takhar police chief, General Khair Mohammad Temor, confirmed the attack in the provincial capital.
"A suicide attacker wearing a suicide vest attacked a funeral procession in Taluqan city in Takhar," he said, adding that the death toll may rise.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility and the Taliban, who are leading a 10-year insurgency against international and Afghan government forces, were not reachable for comment.
Sayed Ikramuddin Masomi, another parliamentarian from Takhar province, confirmed that Baik had died.
"The suicide attacker killed 10 innocent people and unfortunately Abdul Mutaleb Baik was among them," he said in a telephone interview.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. But over the past year, the Taliban have repeatedly struck at prominent government figures.
General Daud Daud, the police chief of northern Afghanistan, and Mohammad Omar, the governor of Kunduz, were also killed in Takhar during the past year.
Security in the north, which remained relatively secure in the early years of the war, has deteriorated recently as Afghan and coalition forces have focused their campaign in the south, and the east along the border with Pakistan.
Seperately, the interior ministry said Sunday that security forces killed 30 suspected fighters in a series of clashes around the country.
A ministry statement said army, police and NATO troops launched a total of 11 operations in the past 24 hours across the country. It said seven opposition fighters were arrested.
Source: Agencies
Suicide attack strikes Afghanistan funeral - Central & South Asia - Al Jazeera English
