MAIMANA (SW): An apparent suicide attack has left at least 19 people dead and many more wounded in the northern Faryab province on Wednesday.
According to the local administration, the attack took place around noon time in the Almar district. Initial reports suggest around ten civilians lost lives in the attack.
A National Directorate of Security (NDS) convoy is said to be the target of the attacker.
Syed Masoud Yaqoobi, spokesman for the provincial police department told SW that the attacker was a local guy named Atiqullah. He said the suicide bomber wanted to target a security convoy passing by the market in Almar district.
He confirmed the death of 19 people and said 32 more got wounded. Yaqoobi said the attack may well be revenge by the Taliban for the latest clean-up operation that saw many militants’ dead.
Dr. Ehsanullah Wahidi, Head of the public hospital said the wounded people included many security personnel. “There were two wounded men from the National Directorate for Security (NDS), two from the Afghan National Army (ANA) one from the Afghan Border Police (ABP) and two local policemen”, he said.
Most of the civilians inured in the attack were busy selling or buying grocery at the market.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) condemned the killing of civilians and the injuring of at least 28 at a bombing in the Almar district of Faryab province.
“This horrific attack against civilians in a market demonstrates an appalling disregard for human life,” said Nicholas Haysom, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan. “UNAMA has repeatedly called for an immediate ban on weapons which kill indiscriminately and that are used in civilian-populated areas.”
ENDS
