Balkh truck bombing damages homes, causes casualties

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Residents suffered heavy financial losses and casualties in a powerful truck bomb attack targeting a commando unit in northern Balkh province on Tuesday morning, officials said.

Security officials said the massive bombing took place in Balkh district at 9:00am in the morning.

Hanif Rezaee, spokesman for the 209^thShaheen Military Corps, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the bombing was carried out through a truck on the commando unit.

He said one commando soldier was killed and six others wounded while two civilians were killed and 35 others wounded in the blast.

Police spokesman Adel Shah Adel said four civilians were killed in the truck bombing.

Meanwhile, a security source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that 11 people, including security forces, were killed and around 60 others were wounded.

The official said security personnel had gone for a security operation, otherwise the casualties would have been higher.

Pajhwok reporter visited the blast site and said that the commando unit building was completely destroyed as well as many civilian homes.

Eyewitnesses said the explosives-packed Mazda type vehicle was detonated at the entrance to the commando unit.

Mohammad Alam, a neighbour of the commando unit was seen sitting on the ruins of his home.

Ahmad Khan is another resident whose house was completely destroyed in the truck bombing.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the massive bombing. The group’s spokesman ZabihullahMujahid said that 61 commando forces were killed and dozens more wounded in the truck bombing.

He called the massive bombing was carried out in retaliation to the killing of Taliban fighters by Afghan security forces in Balkh and Zabul provinces.

Sa/ma