Taliban-linked suicide attack claims 29 lives, wounds 19 in N. Afghanistan

A suicide bombing organized by Taliban militants in Khanabad district of the northern Kunduz province with Kunduz city as its capital 250 km north of Kabul on Saturday night left 29 people dead and injured 19 others, a local official said Sunday.

"Our investigation has confirmed that the suicide bombing in Khanabad district claimed 29 lives and injured 19 others on Saturday night," deputy to district governor, Qudratullah Safi told reporters.

Four out of 29 killed in the deadly attack are civilians and the remaining are pro-government militias used to fight against Taliban insurgents, Safi asserted.

Fifteen civilians including two children are among those sustained injuries in the blast, according to Safi.

Earlier Khanabad district governor Hayatullah Amiri confirmed 22 people including 19 pro-government militia and three civilians dead.

Taliban militants fighting the government have claimed of responsibility for the deadly blast.

Meantime, the government forces during crackdown against Taliban militants have killed three dozen insurgents during series of operations across the conflict-hit country over the past 24 hours, the defense ministry said in a statement released here Sunday.

"A total of 36 terrorists were killed, 30 others injured and one terrorist was detained in Afghan National Army cleanup operations across Afghanistan since early Saturday," the ministry said in a statement.

The statement also admitted that five army personnel were killed during the period.

Militancy and counter-militancy has gotten momentum in Afghanistan since April 24 when Taliban outfit launched its annual spring offensive in the country.

On Friday, a total of 50 people, including a U.S. soldier of the NATO-led Resolute Support mission, were killed and hundreds others wounded in a string of suicide attacks conducted by Taliban outfit in Afghan capital of Kabul. Endi