BOMBER KILLS 13 IN AFGHANISTAN ON FIRST DAY OF RAMADAN

>> KHOST: A suicide car bomber killed 13 people in the eastern Afghan city of Khost yesterday, officials said, in the first major insurgent attack at the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

At press time, no group had claimed responsibility for the bombing, which provincial authorities said targeted a CIAfunded pro-government militia force in Khost province.

The attack is the latest in a series of assaults on Western-backed forces as the Taliban step up their annual spring offensive and the insurgency expands more than 15 years after they were toppled from power in a US-led invasion.

“A suicide car bomb in Khost province has killed 13 people and wounded six others, including two children,” said interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish. “The target was a public bus station which was hit by the bombing. The victims were in civilian clothes and it is difficult to verify their identities at this stage.”

But provincial police chief Faizullah Ghairat said the victims were civilians and members of the elite Khost Provincial Force (KPF) — known to be paid and equipped by the American CIA. “The bombing took place early morning when KPF members were heading to work,” Mr Ghairat said.

The KPF, estimated to have around 4,000 fighters, are known to operate a shadow war against the Taliban in a province that borders Pakistan and are accused of torture and extrajudicial killings.

The brazen attack comes just a day after at least 15 Afghan soldiers were killed when Taliban fighters attacked their base in Kandahar, in the third major insurgent assault this week on the military in the southern province.