Ayaz Gul
VOA News
January 10, 2017

ISLAMABAD — Afghan officials say a twin suicide bombing in the capital Kabul Tuesday killed at least 30 people and wounded more than 80 others.

Witnesses say the insurgents targeted a convoy of officials leaving parliament offices. The death toll is likely to increase.

Top security officials, civilians and parliamentarians are said to be among the victims.

Initial reports say that a suicide bomber blew himself up near parliament offices in the Darulaman area of the city moments before another bomber detonated his explosive-laden vehicle in a bid to maximize casualties.

Witnesses saw rescue workers and private citizens transporting victims to area hospitals but routine evening traffic jams hampered the movement.

The Taliban instantly claimed responsibility, saying the attack killed and wounded dozens of people. The insurgent group often issues inflated casualty toll for such attacks.

Hours before the Kabul attack, a Taliban bomber stormed a meeting of local security officials and police personnel in Lashkargah, capital of Afghanistan’s largest southern province of Helmand.

That attack killed at least seven people and wounded many more. The victims included civilians and military personnel, according to provincial officials.

Most of the territory in Helmand, a major poppy-growing Afghan region, is controlled by the Taliban. The Kabul government fully controls only the provincial capital.