Blasts leave boy dead, bridge destroyed in Ghazni

GHAZNI CITY (PAN): Two separate home-made bomb explosions left a boy dead, a girl wounded and a large bridge destroyed in the Giro district of southern Ghazni province, officials said on Wednesday.

The landmine blast that killed the boy and injured the girl took place in Shilai locality late on Tuesday, the district chief, Abdullah Khairkhwah told Pajhwok Afghan News.

The second blast that came the same day destroyed a bridge connecting Giro with Andar district, the official said, blaming the incidents on Taliban militants.

He said the insurgents had planted mines on almost all roads, creating problems for residents.

Khairkhwah said residents fed up with Taliban’s activities were likely to wage an uprising and stage protests them.

Haji Abdul Karim, a tribal elder in Giro, said the Taliban had planted mines on all major routes, restricting people’s movement. “The Taliban have enmity with the government, then why do they make people suffer.  If their atrocities continue, locals would soon pick up guns against them,” he said.

“I have seen the Taliban with my own eyes planting mines on common paths and the devices often inflect casualties on ordinary people,” a resident of Shilai area said.

But the Taliban rejected the allegations, saying they planted mines on roads used by government forces.

“We plant mines based on a map in areas where government forces are stationed or use the paths,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Pajhwok Afghan News.

His explanation comes days after a roadside bomb ripped through a bus carrying wedding guests in Andar district.  Up 18 people, including women and children were killed and five others wounded in that explosion.

ra/ma

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