Najib Danish
RFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan
December 11, 2018
KABUL – The death toll in a suicide attack targeting members of Afghanistan’s security forces on the outskirts of the capital, Kabul, has risen to 12, officials say.
Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said four security forces and eight civilians were killed on December 11 when a suicide car bomber struck a security convoy in the Paghman district in western Kabul.
Six security forces and three civilians were also wounded, Danish said.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the militant group was behind the blast, saying the attacker was driving a vehicle full of explosives.
Officials said the early morning attack in western Kabul came hours after an overnight Taliban assault on a checkpoint in the southern province of Kandahar.
Provincial police spokesman Zia Durani told RFE/RL that eight police officers and 11 militants were killed in the battle in the Arghistan district.
Afghan security forces have struggled to counter attacks from the Taliban, Islamic State, and other militant groups since the withdrawal of most NATO combat troops in 2014.
Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036.
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