Afghan family of six among 29 killed
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
KABUL, June 2 (AFP): A bomb blast killed a family of six, including two children, near the largest US military base in Afghanistan Tuesday as 23 militants and security guards died in gun battles, authorities said.
A suicide bomber destroyed a civilian vehicle about five kilometres from the base, which is attached to the small town of Bagram, 50 kilometres north of Kabul, the interior ministry said.
Six people from the same family were killed including two children, it said in a statement. Another child was wounded, it said.
"Two men, two women and two children are killed," ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary told newsmen. "This is an act of insurgents," he said.
Such attacks are usually directed at Afghan or Western security forces that are trying to put down a Taliban-led insurgency.
Afghan media reported that one of the men killed was involved with a company that provided security around the Bagram base. The Taliban claimed a suicide bombing in the area but said it was inside a building.
The attack came a week after a bombing in the same area killed three US troops serving with a NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) as well as three Afghan civilians.
Afghan and international troops spotted the commander travelling by vehicle with some of his men, it said in a statement. The troops came under fire.
A suicide bomber destroyed a civilian vehicle about five kilometres from the base, which is attached to the small town of Bagram, 50 kilometres north of Kabul, the interior ministry said.
Six people from the same family were killed including two children, it said in a statement. Another child was wounded, it said.
"Two men, two women and two children are killed," ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary told newsmen. "This is an act of insurgents," he said.
Such attacks are usually directed at Afghan or Western security forces that are trying to put down a Taliban-led insurgency.
Afghan media reported that one of the men killed was involved with a company that provided security around the Bagram base. The Taliban claimed a suicide bombing in the area but said it was inside a building.
The attack came a week after a bombing in the same area killed three US troops serving with a NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) as well as three Afghan civilians.
Afghan and international troops spotted the commander travelling by vehicle with some of his men, it said in a statement. The troops came under fire.