A car bomb that struck a bank in southern Afghanistan Thursday left at least 20 people dead and 50 wounded, a government spokesman said.
“The blast killed 20 people and left 50 others wounded, both civilians and military officials,” government spokesman Omar Zwak said, warning that the toll could rise.
The bomb struck a bank Thursday in Afghanistan’s Lashkar Gah city when civilian and military government employees were queueing to withdraw their salaries, causing multiple casualties, officials said.
No group has claimed responsibility for the latest in a series of brazen attacks during the holy fasting month of Ramadan, but it comes as the Taliban ramp up their annual spring offensive.
The insurgents control large swathes of Helmand province, of which Lashkar Gah is the capital. “Around 12 noon a car bomb exploded at the entrance of New Kabul Bank,” Salam Afghan, police spokesman in the city, told AFP.
“It happened at a time when civilians and officials had lined up outside the bank to collect their salaries.”
Washington is soon expected to announce an increase in the US military deployment to bolster Afghan forces, who are struggling to contain the Taliban insurgency. American military commanders in Afghanistan have requested thousands of extra boots on the ground.
-
Taliban storm police base in eastern Afghanistan, killing five
Taliban attackers stormed a regional police headquarters in eastern Afghanistan Sunday, killing five officers and injuring 22 people in an assault ... World News -
US defense secretary vows not to ‘repeat mistakes of the past’ in Afghanistan
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis vowed on Wednesday that the Trump administration would not repeat the “mistakes of the past” in dealing with ... World News -
World Bank approves $520 mln credit for Afghanistan
The World Bank on Tuesday said it had approved a $520 million plan to help Afghanistan, which has been weakened by the Taliban insurgency and gradual ... Economy -
How Iran, Qatar and Taliban links threaten the US mission in Afghanistan
During the recent weeks, many reports have emerged that accuse Iran of boosting its engagement with the Taliban in the northern and eastern regions of ... Gulf