8 civilians killed, 30 injured in car bomb blast in E. Afghanistan: official
KABUL - At least eight civilians were killed and 30 others wounded when a car bomb explosion took place in Afghanistan’s eastern Logar province on Thursday evening, spokesman of the Interior Ministry confirmed.
“The incident occurred at 7:40 p.m. local time in Sharwal Square of Pul-e-Alam city, capital of Logar. The initial information indicated that eight civilians were martyred and 30 wounded,” spokesman Tariq Arian tweeted. Several children were among the victims. The provincial sources said 15 people were killed and 35 wounded, adding that several military personnel were also affected in the explosion. The incident came ahead of a ceasefire between Taliban militants and the government security forces. The two sides have agreed on a threeday ceasefire during Eid al-Adha, the annual religious Festival of Sacrifice. Taliban militants denied involvement of in the attack.
The Afghan civilians continue to bear the brunt of armed conflicts as more than 1,280 civilians were killed and over 2,170 others wounded due to fighting in the country in the first six months of 2020, according to figures of United Nations Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). The UNAMA has attributed 58 percent of civilian casualties to the Taliban and other insurgent groups, 23 percent to security forces over the period while the rest 19 percent were caused by other reasons.
(Xinhua)