Suicide bombers kill 2 in southern Afghanistan

[News_Editor]

Suicide bombers kill 2 in southern Afghanistan

2011-10-03 23:33:50 GMT+7 (ICT)

KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- Two suicide bomb blasts in southern Afghanistan, one of them targeting a government minister, killed at least two people on Monday, officials said.

The first blast took place at around 10:30 a.m. local time in the Zakar Sharif area of Kandahar City, the capital of the province which carries the same name. The suicide bomber targeted Afghan Border Affairs Minister Asadullah Khalid, who survived the attack.

Both the suicide bomber, who was riding on a motorbike, and a local national were killed. "The suicide attacker had the intention of carrying out a suicide attack on his target but luckily he failed," a provincial government spokesman said.

In addition to the fatalities, nineteen local nationals were said to be injured and evacuated to Mirwais hospital. Among those injured - two of them who are in a critical condition - were six children.

About two hours after the first blast, a second suicide attacker wearing an Afghan National Army (ANA) uniform detonated an explosive device at the entrance to the Kabul Bank branch inside the 205th Army Corps at around 12:30 p.m. local time.

An on-duty ANA soldier was able to identify the attacker and opened fire against him. However, the suicide bomber only died after detonating the blast. The soldier who had shot at the assailant was killed during the attack but may have prevented a more deadly attack.

Also on Monday, Kandahar's Minister of Frontier and Tribal Affairs and Regional Security Coordinator Asadullah Khalid said "with the start of my duty" the positive effects on the security situation in the province "will be seen very soon".

"The registration of vehicles, preventing the illegal movement of armed men in the city, removing the protective walls which are surrounding the security departments, and appointing Military Police in order to control the ANA and ANP are my priorities," he said at a news conference, adding that security forces will soon be send to remote areas.

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