Zardari expresses grief over militant attacks

KABUL — where several security personnel and civilians were killed.

Heavily armed Taliban militants stormed three locations in capital Kabul and also in Logar, Nangarhar and Paktia provinces on Sunday afternoon — triggering major security mayhem.

A total of 36 suicide bombers, 11 security personnel, and four civilians were killed. Forty security personnel and 25 civilians were also wounded in the provinces, and the 18-hour clash in Kabul ended after all the militants crushed, the Presidential Palace said in a statement.

Zardari shared his and his nation’s grief with Karzai and strongly condemned the suicide attacks over telephone on Wednesday evening, added the statement.

According to the statement, Karzai thanked Zardari and called insurgency a challenge for the people of both countries and insisted on joint struggle against terrorism.

US defence secretary had said their intelligence reports revealed that the Haqqani Network, which is a concern for the US.

The Interior Minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi said the assailants crossed the border to spread fear among the people.

Myn/vp