A suicide car bomber set off a huge blast Saturday at a hospital in
eastern Afghanistan.
The explosion in Logar province, about 40 kilometers from the capital,
Kabul, caused heavy casualties, but Afghan authorities gave conflicting
estimates. Hours after the attack, officials said they think the blast
killed about 20 people, including women and children, and wounded
dozens of others.
The Afghan Health Ministry had initially reported up to 60 people were
dead and 120 wounded.
The Taliban says it did not carry out the attack, and that its fighters do
not target hospitals. The militant group is active in eastern Afghanistan,
attacking Afghan and coalition forces, and suicide attacks are one of its
tactics.
The NATO coalition says one of its service members was killed by
insurgents Saturday in eastern Afghanistan, apparently in a separate
attack.
Earlier, authorities in northern Afghanistan said a bicycle bomb that
exploded in a bazaar late Friday killed 10 people, including one police
officer.
About 24 people, including five women and another policeman, were
wounded by the blast in the Khanabad district of Kunduz province.
eastern Afghanistan.
The explosion in Logar province, about 40 kilometers from the capital,
Kabul, caused heavy casualties, but Afghan authorities gave conflicting
estimates. Hours after the attack, officials said they think the blast
killed about 20 people, including women and children, and wounded
dozens of others.
The Afghan Health Ministry had initially reported up to 60 people were
dead and 120 wounded.
The Taliban says it did not carry out the attack, and that its fighters do
not target hospitals. The militant group is active in eastern Afghanistan,
attacking Afghan and coalition forces, and suicide attacks are one of its
tactics.
The NATO coalition says one of its service members was killed by
insurgents Saturday in eastern Afghanistan, apparently in a separate
attack.
Earlier, authorities in northern Afghanistan said a bicycle bomb that
exploded in a bazaar late Friday killed 10 people, including one police
officer.
About 24 people, including five women and another policeman, were
wounded by the blast in the Khanabad district of Kunduz province.

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