Dozens of vehicles catch fire after serial blasts

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Dozens of supply vehicles caught fire after a series of explosions and a suicide in the Torkham border town of eastern Nangarhar province on Monday night.

At least five blasts were triggered by magnetic bombs attached to the vehicles parked in a terminal near the Pakistan border, police officer Col. Ayub Hussainkhel told Pajhwok Afghan News.   

After the explosions at 8pm, security personnel shot dead two suicide bombers who were trying to enter a border police checkpoint. As a result of firing from police, the attackers’ suicide vests exploded.  

He said there was no immediate information about casualties, but the blasts left dozens of fuel tankers and containers smouldering.

A shopkeeper in Torkham, Syed Mohammad, said he saw columns of smoke rising from the fuel tankers in the wake of the serial blasts.  

As usual, the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. The group’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the group attack had killed several soldiers and destroyed tens of logistic vehicles.

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