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Roundup: Suicide car bomb kills 8, wounds 46 in S. Afghanistan

Xinhua, March 18, 2015 Adjust font size:

At least eight people including the bomber were killed and 46 others sustained injuries as a suicide bomber blew up his explosive-laden vehicle in southern Helmand province on Wednesday, deputy to provincial governor told reporters.

"Seven persons, all civilians, were killed and 46 people wounded as a terrorist exploded his explosive-borne truck near the provincial council building at 10:50 a.m. local time today," Mohammad Jan Rasoulyar told reporters.

The bomber was also killed in the blast, the official added.

Several houses and buildings were also destroyed or badly damaged due to the blast, the official said, adding the blast occurred while a workshop on how to check kidnapping and criminal activities was underway inside the building of the provincial council.

A number of provincial government officials including spokesman for provincial government and two district governors are among those injured in the attack, Rasoulyar confirmed.

Hours after the deadly blast, Qari Yusuf Ahmadi, who claims to speak for the Taliban outfit, in contact with media claimed responsibility, saying a suicide bomber loyal to the Taliban group blew himself up inside an explosive-laden truck, inflicting huge casualties on government servicemen.

Helmand, notorious for poppy cultivation and militancy, has been regarded as a Taliban hotbed in Afghanistan.

To strengthen government control and ensure law and order in Helmand, the Afghan national security forces launched military operations couple of months ago in parts of the restive province and so far hundreds of insurgents have been killed, according to security officials.

Afghan civilians often bear the brunt of war as nearly 3,700 civilians had been killed and more than 6,800 others wounded in conflicts and Taliban-led attacks in 2014, according to a report released by UN mission in Afghanistan in February.

Taliban militants fighting the government in Afghanistan would intensify activities after the weather gets warm and snow begins to melt in spring, according to observers. Endi