Civilians among 17 killed in roadside blasts

TIRINKOT/KANDAHAR CITY (PAN): Eleven civilians and six policemen have been killed in separate roadside bombings in central Uruzgan and southern Kandahar provinces, officials said on Tuesday.

The civilians were killed in a roadside explosion in the Khakrez district of Kandahar province on Tuesday morning, police chief Gen. Abdul Razzaq told Pajhwok Afghan News.

He said the victims, belonging to Zherai district, were on their way to a shrine. The police chief added two child, eight women and a man were among the dead.

Separately, six policemen were killed in a similar attack in central Uruzgan province. The police personnel were killed late on Monday night when they were returning to their headquarters from an operation in Deh Rawood district.

Aminullah Khaliqi, the district chief, said the explosion in Mirchi area destroyed the pick-up the policemen were travelling in.

As usual the Taliban claimed responsibility, with the group’s spokesman Qari Yousaf Ahmadi saying all those in the vehicle were killed.

The blast came two days after a similar attack killed seven policemen in the province.

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