LASHKARGAH (SW) – At least 23 civilians were killed and 15 others were injured following a string of blasts in Helmand’s Sangin district on Monday.
The rockets were fired by Taliban insurgents at a traditional fair in the Old Bazaar area of Sangin district at around 9am, the governor's office said in a statement. According to local sources, two Taliban insurgents were killed, four civilians were martyred and four others were injured in the blast.
The statement said that the Taliban are running a propaganda in the media by claiming that the Afghan security and defense forces had carried out artillery attacks.
According to the statement, Afghan security and defense forces have not carried out any artillery or other major attacks in Sangin since this morning.
According to the statement, Helmand Governor Lt. Gen. Mohammad Yasin has ordered security and intelligence agencies to investigate the incident.
However, a Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousaf Ahmadi, said in a statement to the media that the deaths were caused by a mortar shell fired by the 2nd Brigade of the 215th Maiwand Corps.
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