2nd LD Writethru: 7 killed, 46 injured in Afghanistan car bombing
Xinhua, March 18, 2015 Adjust font size:
Seven civilians were killed and 46 others wounded in a suicide truck bombing in Afghanistan on Wednesday, an official said.
The bomber detonated an explosive-laden truck near provincial council building in Lashkar Gah city, the provincial capital of southern province of Helmand, Mohammad Jan Rasoulyar, deputy provincial governor, told reporters.
"Seven civilians were killed besides the bomber, and 46 people wounded," the official said.
The blast severely damaged several government office buildings in addition to many houses and shops near the site.
"The blast took place at around 10:50 a.m. (local time) shortly after a program was ended in the nearby government media center. A number of local officials attending the event sustained injuries," according to Rasoulyar.
The provincial governor spokesman, agriculture officials, two district governors were among the injured, he said.
The Taliban insurgent group claimed responsibility for the attack.
Nearly 3,700 civilians were killed and more than 6,800 others wounded in conflicts and Taliban-led attacks in 2014, according to official figures released by UN mission in the country.
The officials blamed the attacks of Taliban and other armed groups for the vast majority of the civilian deaths and injuries. Endi