A bloody suicide bombing shocked Taliban former stronghold
Kandahar in south Afghanistan Sunday morning killing at least 80
people and injuring many more, Kandahar's governor Assadullah
Khalid said.
Afghan policemen and
locals at the site of the bomb blast in Kandahar on Feb. 17
2008.
The huge explosion took place at a ground where hundreds of
people were gathering to watch dog fighting, among the few pastimes
for common Afghans.
"Eighty innocent people have been confirmed dead in the heinous
crime committed by enemies today," Khalid told news reporters.
He said it is too early to count the number of the injured
people as they have already been rushed to hospitals.
The official said the Taliban, fighting against Afghan
government and foreign troops since it was overthrew six years ago,
was behind the deadly attack. However, the Taliban militants did
not say they were responsible for the bomb explosion.
Taliban militants during their six-year of reign on 1996-2001 in
major parts of Afghanistan banned all kind of popular entertainment
activities, including dog fighting, cook fighting, kite flying and
wrestling.
Besides, the militants also outlawed cinemas, televisions,
music, girl schools and confining women to their homes during the
outfit's rule which was toppled by US-led military invasion in
2001.
Taliban fighters carried out a failed attack against
AssadullahKhalid, governor of the restive Kandahar province a week
ago while he was on the way to Shah Walikot district.
Afghan policemen and
locals at the site of the bomb blast in Kandahar on Feb. 17
2008.
A similar deadly attack in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan
province last November killed 73 civilians, including six
parliamentarians, and injured more than 100 others.
Afghan government blamed Taliban insurgents for the deadly
attack in Baghlan but the Taliban militants denied they were
involved in the attack.
"Attack on Afghans and killing the people is the work of the
enemies of Afghanistan and our enemies the Taliban insurgents are
behind today's attack here in Kandahar," Khalid noted.
Anti-government Taliban fighters and their associated allies
usually launched guerrilla-style attacks including ambushes,
suicide blasts and roadside bombings on government and military
targets, but often claimed civilian lives.
Taliban's fugitive chief Mullah Mohammad Omar in a statement
released last week vowed to accelerate militant activities.
Escalating violence killed a record over 6,000 people in the
post-Taliban nation last year and observers and military experts
have predicted an upsurge of suicide blasts and roadside bombings
in 2008.
An Afghan policeman
keeps watch at a blast site in Kandahar province Feb. 17,
2008.
(Xinhua News Agency February 18, 2008)
