8 IEC employees killed in deadly Maroof attack

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): Eight Independent Election Commission (IEC attack in Maroof district of southern Kandahar province, officials said Sunday.

Officials said the Taliban used four explosives-laden Humvee vehicles in the deadly assault on the district headquarters building last night. The blasts followed gun attack by the rebels.

Aziz Ahmad Azizi, the governor’s spokesman, confirmed the attack to Pajhwok Afghan News but provided no information about causalities.

Provincial police headquarters secretary Qasim Azad also confirmed that first four explosives-laden Humvee tanks were exploded in the assault. He rejected if the Taliban had captured the Maroof district.

Police chief Maj. Gen. Tadin Khan said the attack inflicted causalities on security forces, but provided no figures.

However, he wrote on his Twitter account that security forces had pushed back the attack. He said reinforcements had reached the area and the attack was under investigation.

It was said eight IEC workers had been killed in the attack. Hasham Durrani, the IEC head for Kandahar, said he had received the news of the killing of eight of their employees in the attack.

He said four workers of the voter registration process hailed from Maroof district and as many from Kandahar City, the provincial capital.

The Taliban also claimed responsibility for the attack district and claimed capturing the district after overrunning three check posts during the nighttime attack.

Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, the group spokesman, in a statement claimed the district police chief was among 57 personnel killed and 11 others were captured alive and their weapons and ammunitions seized.

pk/ma