QALAT, Afghanistan, Sept 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) – A car bomb today (Thursday), struck Qalat city, the capital of southern Afghanistan’s Zabul province, killing 15 people and wounding 66 others, Interior Ministry spokesman, Nasrat Rahimi, said.
According to Rahimi, the car bomb was detonated next to the civilian hospital in Qalat city, at 5:50 a.m. local time, killing 15 people including two police personnel and 13 civilians, and wounding 66 others.
Earlier, provincial government spokesman, Gul Islam Sayal, confirmed the blast, adding, seven people lost their lives and 86 others wounded.
Meanwhile, the Taliban outfit has claimed responsibility for the blast and contended that a suicide bomber targeted the provincial office of National Directorate of Security or the country’s counter-intelligence agency, inflicting huge casualties.
The armed group, which has stepped up activities, mostly in the shape of suicide bombing, has also claimed responsibility for the deadly bombings that claimed scores of lives in Kabul, Charikar and Jalalabad cities over the past one week.– NNN-AGENCIES