ROADSIDE BOMB KILLS 5 IN SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN

Kabul, 5 Ra’biul Awwal 1435/27 December 2014 (MINA) – At least four Afghan intelligence officials and a civilian have been killed when their car was struck by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan’s troubled southern province of Kandahar.

Samim Khpolwak, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said on Saturday that the incident took place at around 5:30 p.m. local time (1300 GMT) on Friday in Ibrahim Khalifa Baba area of Dand district, when a remote-control bomb went off as a vehicle of the National Directorate of Security was passing by.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and an investigation into the incident is underway, Press TV quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting, Saturday.

Roadside bombs and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are by far the most lethal weapon Taliban militants use against Afghan forces, foreign troops, and civilians.

Afghanistan has witnessed a spike in militant attacks, including assaults targeting foreigners in the capital Kabul over the past few weeks.

On December 14, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani strongly condemned the new wave of terror attacks against Afghans and foreigners, calling on all religious, political, and social leaders to undertake serious efforts to fight militancy.

The Taliban militant group has vowed to escalate the attacks on Afghan forces and US-led troops, their bases, diplomatic missions, and vehicle convoys before the foreign forces exit the country at the end of 2014.

The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but insecurity remains across the country despite the presence of thousands of US-led troops. (T/P002/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)