Roundup: Afghan bombings, chopper crash claim 25 lives within day

The Taliban-led militancy and chopper crash claimed 25 lives and nearly a dozen people were also injured in the conflict-ridden Afghanistan on Thursday, officials said.

In the first violent incident which happened in Logar provincial capital Pul-e-Alam 60 km south of Kabul, at least six people were killed and 10 others including civilians sustained injuries.

"A suicide bomber driving an explosive-laden vehicle blew it up next to a base of Special Police Force in Pul-e-Alam town at 07:15 a.m. local time today, killing himself and six others including three civilians," General Abdul Raziq told Xinhua.

Ten more people including police and civilians sustained injuries in the deadly suicide bombing, he added.

He also added that the casualties may go up.

Meanwhile, Haseeb Stanikzai, head of Logar Provincial Council confirmed the blast and said several houses around including the building of Provincial Council were also damaged in the blast.

However, Taliban outfit which is largely relying on suicide and roadside bombings, in contact with media outlets, has claimed responsibility, insisting several security personnel were killed in the bombing.

In the second deadly incident which occurred in the Sothern Zabul province, a helicopter of Afghan army crashed, killing 17 people aboard.

"An army chopper crashed between Naw Bahar and Shinkai district of Zabul province at 09:30 a.m. local time today, leaving 17 people including five crew and 12 soldiers dead," commander of air force unit in the southern region, General Abdul Razeq Shirzai, said.

Ruling out hostile involvement in the incident, the official added that investigation has been initiated into the case to determine the exact reason for the incident.

Moreover, Militants equipped with arms and suicide vests attacked a police checkpoint in Kandahar city, the provincial capital of Taliban birthplace Kandahar province, 450 km south of Kabul on Thursday, leaving two attackers dead, spokesman for the provincial government Samim Khapalwak said.

"Two terrorists equipped with assault rifles and suicide vests attacked a police checkpoint in 4th police district in Kandahar city at 03:15 p.m. local time today, triggering gun battles," Khpalwak told Xinhua.

One of the attackers was attempting to blew himself up, but police shot him dead; while the other continued firing, the official said, adding that the second attacker was also killed after minutes of fire exchanges.

A police constable was injured in the firefight which lasted for a while, Khapalwak admitted.

Zabihullah Mujahid who claims to speak for the Taliban outfit in contact with media claimed that the militants attacked two police checkpoints in Kandahar city, inflicting casualties, a claim spurned by Khapalwak as baseless.

This is the first time that the Taliban militants conducted violent incidents since the confirmation of the death of their leader Mullah Omar who was declared dead last Thursday. Endi