3 Civilians Killed in Eastern Afghan Bomb Explosion
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Three civilians were killed and four others wounded in a bomb attack in Mehtarlam city, capital of Afghanistan's eastern Laghman province on Saturday, a provincial government spokesman confirmed.
"The blast occurred after an improvised explosive device (IED) attached to a motorcycle was detonated roughly at midday along a road near the provincial prison building," spokesman Assadullah Dawlatzai told Xinhua.
The obvious target of the blast was Noor Mohammad, director of the provincial prison directorate, who sustained injuries in the explosion, the official said.
"The killed civilians were people who were aboard a vehicle passing-by the area," the spokesman added.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.
The blast came as the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on Monday announced that more than 500 civilians were killed and 760 others wounded due to fightings in the country during the first three months this year.
It urged the government and anti-government elements to do more to protect civilians from harm, especially in view of the looming threat posed to all Afghans by the COVID-19 pandemic.
