At least 12 civilians were killed and more than 100 injured after a car bomb exploded in Ghor province in western Afghanistan, according to government officials.
Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Aran said Sunday’s attack struck near the front of the provincial police chief and other nearby government buildings in Feroz Koh, the capital of Ghor.
Arif Aber, spokesman for the governor of Ghor Province, said the explosion was so loud that his sound could be heard through Feroz Koh.
“He partially broke and destroyed some government buildings, adding that of the police chief, the women’s affairs branch and the provincial refugee Array,” Aber said.
The head of a hospital in Ghor, Mohammad Omer Lalzad, said the body of emergency workers was treating dozens of others with serious and minor injuries.
Smoke rises from the site of a car bomb attack targeting an Afghan police headquarters in Feroz Koh [AFP] There is no immediate declaration of duty for the attack, which occurred amid an increase in Taliban attacks.
Tens and thousands of people have been displaced in recent days after intense fighting between the Taliban and Afghan government forces in several districts of Helmand Province and parts of neighboring Kandahar province.
Sporadic fighting continued on Sunday as government forces pushed for a counter-offensive to recover part of the lost floor in and around Lashkar Gah, Helmand’s capital said.
The United States had carried out airstrikes against Afghan forces in Helmand, prompting a blame game between the Americans and the Taliban.
On Sunday, the armed said airstrikes violated an agreement the United States had signed with them in February in Qatar’s capital Doha.
– Zabihullah (. . ذبـــــیح) (Zabehulah_M33) 18 October 2020
“The entire content of the agreement between the United States and the Islamic emirate is unequivocal, but the opposite aspect has violated its commitments, participated in provocative movements and bombed non-combat zones,” the Taliban said in a statement.
But the U. S. military rejected the Taliban’s accusation.
“U. S. airstrikes on Helmand and Farah have been and remain only in defense of THESF as they are attacked through the Taliban,” U. S. Army spokesman Colonel Sonny Leggett said on Twitter, referring to Afghan government forces.
“Everyone has witnessed Taliban offensive operations in Helmand, attacks that have wounded and displaced thousands of innocent Afghan civilians. “
– USFOR-A spokesperson, Col Sonny Leggett (@USFOR_A) October 18, 2020
As a component of the agreement, the Taliban said they would not attack cities, while the United States said it would do a chorus not to attack fighters to protect Afghan forces. Afghan officials have accused the Taliban of violating the deal by attacking Lashkar Gah.
Clashes in Helmand take place more than a month after the start of peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government in Doha.
Talks appear to be stalled as the Taliban and Kabul leadership have struggled to identify a key framework for negotiations.
© 2020 Al Jazeera Media Network