Afghanistan condemns suicide attack

The Afghanistan Interior Ministry blamed the enemies of peace for the deadly suicide attack in Khost city, the capital of Khost province, on Thursday that killed 17 people and injured scores of others.

In the bloody bombing which happened at 09:30 a.m. local time, according to a statement from the Interior Ministry, 17 people were killed and 37 others injured. "Interior Ministry strongly condemns the coward terrorist attack in Khost city that claimed 17 lives and injured 37 others," the statement said.

The deadly attack occurred among hundreds of people who staged a protest against acting Khost provincial governor Jabbar Naeemi, demanding the central government to dismiss him.

The Interior Ministry in its statement confirmed that a parliamentarian Hamayon Hamayon, the head of Defense Committee in Wolesi Jirga or Lower House of parliament, is also among those injured.

Earlier, police chief of Khost province Faiz Mohammad Ghairat in talks with media put the number of casualties at 17 dead and 50 injured.

Hours later of the gruesome incident, the acting governor of Khost province in a statement sent to media put the number of death as high as 16 and those injured as high as 40 people.

A statement of the Khost governor said"The enemies of peace organized a suicide attack among people who were staging a peaceful demonstration, leaving 16 people dead and injuring 40 others."

In a similar statement, Chief Executive of Afghan government Abdullah Abdullah also condemned the suicide attack in its strongest term, instructing security organs to initiate through investigation and bring to justice those behind the massacre.

Although Taliban militants have yet to claim responsibility, political watchers are of the view that the armed outfit would increase anti-government activities in spring and summer commonly known as fighting season in Afghanistan. Endi