A suicide attack outside a provincial council headquarters in northern Afghanistan has killed at least 13 people, including a senior local politician, promptly receiving condemnation from the president.
The Taliban has claimed responsibilty for the bomb which exploded in front of provincial government offices in Pul-e-Khumri in Baghlan province on Monday. In a statement, President Hamid Karzai condemned the attack saying that it was “a cowardly act against all Islamic teachings and human values”. Mohammad Rasoul Mohseni, Baghlan provincial council leader, was entering the compound in the morning when the bomber ran up on foot and detonated his explosives, said Jawed Bashrat, a police spokesman in Baghlan province.
Asadullah Sherzad, provincial chief of police, said 14 people were killed, including Mohseni, and 11 were wounded.
Mohammad Zahier Ghanizada, a member of parliament from Baghlan, confirmed the council chief’s death and added that Mohseni had previously received multiple death threats.
Several civilians, bodyguards and provincial council members were among the wounded, Bashrat said.
Armed groups seeking to weaken the Afghan government have been carrying out attacks and assassinations intended to intimidate both officials and civilians ahead of next year’s withdrawal of most international troops.