Dozens killed in Afghan suicide bombing A suicide bomber has killed dozens of people in an attack on a volleyball match in Afghanistan’s east, officials say. Mokhis Afghan, spokesman for the governor of Paktika province, bordering Pakistan, said the attack happened late on Sunday afternoon during an inter-district tournament match attended by a large crowd in the Yahyakhail district. Officials said at least 49 people were dead and about dozens more were wounded in the attack, adding that most casualties were civilian. The suicide bomber was on foot in the crowd, Afghan said. Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford, reporting from Kabul, said the toll was expected to rise as the target was a well-attended match. No group has claimed responsibility yet, but Paktika has been targeted by Taliban before, he said. The Taliban and other fighters have mounted multiple suicide attacks and assassinations in Afghanistan this year, as foreign forces continue to withdraw after 13 years of war. Sunday’s attack is one of the deadliest so far this year, a time when attacks are escalating following a controversy-marred election and the inauguration of President Ashraf Ghani in September. Afghanistan’s parliament approved agreements on Sunday with the US and NATO allowing international troops to remain in the country past the end of this year. According to the deals, about 12,000 international troops will remain in Afghanistan next year to train and support Afghanistan’s security forces. Ghani’s first act after becoming president was to sign the agreements, which are opposed by the Taliban and other armed groups. US President Barack Obama wants all American troops to be out of Afghanistan by the end of 2016, as his presidency draws to an end. ift.tt/1FghU3i ift.tt/1qGUBZv [[Boost your social presence with NAIRALIKES nairalikes ]] #nigeria x #nairalikes #vanguardng
Posted on: Sun, 23 Nov 2014 17:44:25 +0000
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