7 injured in Helmand car suicide bombing

LASHKARGAH (PAN): Five public order policemen and two civilians were injured in a car suicide bombing on Friday in southern Helmand province, where a major operation against the insurgents was underway, officials said.

The bomber detonated his explosives-laden car near a joint convoy of Afghan and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops in Fateh Mohammad area of Sangin district around 12pm, the town’s administrative head, Mohammad Daud Noorzai, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

The blast injured five public order policemen and two civilians, a border police commander, Ghulam Sakhi Ghafoori, said. He had no information about casualties among foreign troops.

However, a Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, said the suicide attack was carried out by one of their fighters named Baz Mohammad using a van, killing 15 foreign and Afghan soldiers.

Security officials on Thursday said a major offensive condemned Oqab (Eagle) has been launched to drive insurgents from border areas of the troubled southern province.

The operation involves 500 Afghan security officials, including police, local police and intelligence officials.

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