Blasts, battle kill 25, wound 35 in S.Afghan
Updated: 2011-07-28 22:23
(Xinhua)
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KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- Multiple explosions and gun battle left 25 people including?6 attackers dead and injured 35 others in ?Trinkot city the capital of Uruzgan province 370 km south of capital city Kabul on Thursday, spokesman for provincial administration Ahmad Milad Mudasir said.
"In the blasts and gun battle that happened in Trinkot city today 19 people and all six attackers were killed and 35 others sustained injuries," Mudasir told said.
However, he did not say how many of those killed in the deadly conflict were civilians, adding most of the victims are innocent non-combatants.
He also noted that militants after conducting a suicide car bomb entered the compound of provincial governor department and begun firing.
The explosions and gun battle erupted at around 12:30 p.m. local time had been brought under control after about four hours of fighting, he further said.
Earlier, head of Health Department in Trinkot city doctor Khan Agha Niakhil in talks with Xinhua confirmed that 20 dead bodies and 37 injured people including one police have been taken to hospital.
According to doctor Niakhil, 10 children and two women are among those killed and taken to hospital in the bloody incident.
Taliban militants fighting Afghan and NATO-led troops have claimed of responsibility.
Qari Yusuf Ahmadi who claims to speak for the Taliban outfit in talks with media via telephone from undisclosed location claimed that six fighters equipped with suicide vests and small arms targeted the compound of local television department, police department and provincial Governor Office inflicting huge casualties to Afghan and foreign forces, a claim has yet to be verified by independent sources.
It is the second attack on government interests in south Afghanistan over the past two days. In the previous attack occured on Wednesday, a suicide bomber targetted the Mayor of Kandahar province Ghulam Haider Hamidi and killed him on the spot. Hours later Taliban claimed responsibility.