Roundup: Suicide bombing, counter-militancy claim 27 lives, wound 39 in Afghanistan within day

Militancy and counter-militancy have left 27 people, including six civilian, dead and injured 39 others, including 31 civilians in Afghanistan on Wednesday.

In the militancy which rocked Kabul in the shape of suicide car bombing, six people were killed and 31 others, all civilians injured, Kabul police chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi said.

"A terrorist riding explosive-laden car blew himself up in the second police district, leaving six persons dead including himself and injured 31 others," Rahimi told reporters at the site of the blast.

All the victims are civilians, the official said.

In the attack which happened at 5:15 p.m. local time (1245 GMT) a number of shops, cars and buildings around were also damaged.

The blast rocked Murad Khani area near the Presidential Palace, Finance Ministry, the central Bank and Ministry for Justice.

Although the official blamed the enemies of peace, a reference to the Taliban, for the attack, the outfit has yet to claim responsibility.

The deadly attack in Kabul occurred hours after the security forces' crackdown on Taliban militants in Ghazni province, which had left 21 Taliban fighters dead.

"The security forces launched cleanup operations in Shirwali area of Andar district early Wednesday morning and till afternoon 21 militants, including their commander Mullah Nurullah, had been killed and eight others injured," deputy to provincial police chief of Ghazni, Assadullah Insafi, told reporters.

Mullah Nurullah was a key commander of Taliban in Ghazni and adjoining areas, the police official said, adding his elimination could be a major setback for the Taliban.

Conflicts and militancy would go up in spring and summer commonly known as fighting season in Afghanistan. Endi