5 foreigners dead in Kalat suicide attack

KALAT (PAN): Five foreigners, including three International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) soldiers were killed on Saturday in a suicide attack targeting the governor of southern Zabul province, officials said.

The governor escaped unhurt in a suicide attack in this provincial capital before noon on, but three NATO-led troops and two civilians were killed, Afghan and ISAF officials said.

The car bombing happened at 11.15am near the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) compound in Kalat. The provincial civil hospital and a high school are also located in the neighbourhood.

US Army Major Adam N. Wojack confirmed the deaths to Pajhwok Afghan News. “Three ISAF service members and two coalition civilians died following an improvised explosive device attack today,” he said.

Zabul police chief, Brig. Gen. Rogh Lewanay, said the bomber wanted to target Governor Ashraf Nasiri’s convoy that was its way to the Sheikh Mati School.

One of Nasiri’s security guards and a hospital worker were wounded in the bombing, Lewanay said, without commenting on their condition.

But a Kalat Civil Hospital official said a body had been brought to the facility from the scene of the suicide assault. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

“We can confirm that … there are American and Afghan casualties. We are still investigating the incident and cannot confirm details at this time,” said a brief statement from the US embassy in Kabul.  

As usual, the Taliban claimed responsibility for the suicide attack. The group’s spokesman, Qari Yousaf Ahmadi said seven foreigners had been killed and five others wounded.

The governor’s vehicle was also damaged and some of his guards suffered casualties, he added. However, local officials rejected the assertion as baseless.

mud

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