MAZAR-E-SHARIF (SW) – A car bombing in Balkh province on Tuesday killed at least 11 people and left 60 others wounded, sources confirmed.
Governor of Balkh district, Gulbaz Khan, said that the car bombing took place near an army base at around 9:00 am today. Confirming the attack, Adel Shah Adel, a spokesman for the police in Balkh, said the attack took place near a commando base in the center of the district.
Hanif Rezaei, a spokesman for the 209 Shaheen Corps, said that one member of the commando force was killed and six others were wounded in the incident. He said more than 30 civilians were injured in the attack.
However, a health source in Balkh province, who did not want to be named, told Salam Watandar that 11 people were killed and 60 were injured in the attack.
According to the source, women and children are also among the victims.
A security source in Balkh province told Salam Watandar that the blast took place at a veterinary clinic where a commando unit had been relocated four months ago.
The Ministry of Defense said in a statement that a mini-truck full of explosives exploded near a veterinary clinic in a residential area the district.
A member of the special force and 2 civilians were killed and members of the special forces together with 14 civilians were wounded in the incident, according to a Defense Ministry newsletter.
The death toll and injuries are likely to rise, the ministry said.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. The group said in a statement that the target was an Afghan security forces base.
ENDS
