Death toll rises to 13 after suicide bombing in Afghanistan

[News_Editor]

Death toll rises to 13 after suicide bombing in Afghanistan

2012-04-06 07:19:26 GMT+7 (ICT)

MAYMANA, AFGHANISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- The death toll from a suicide bombing outside a park in northern Afghanistan on Wednesday morning has risen to at least thirteen, including four Afghan soldiers and three American service members, officials said on Thursday.

The attack happened when an unidentified person riding a motorcycle detonated his explosives at the gate of a park in Maymana, the capital of Faryab province, approximately 420 kilometers (260 miles) northwest of Kabul. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the suicide attack.

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) on Thursday confirmed at least thirteen people were killed. Among the casualties were three American service members, four Afghan National Security Force members, and six Afghan civilians. The explosion also wounded more than 30 others, including 16 American troops.

"Despicable is the only word to describe the cold, heartless way in which the enemies of peace carried out this attack - detonating an [improvised explosive device (IED)] in the middle of a large crowd of civilians," said ISAF commander General John R. Allen on Thursday. "My deepest condolences are with all the families of those killed yesterday, and the entire ISAF community prays for the complete recovery of those injured."

Ohio Adjutant General's Department said the three American service members who were killed in the attack were members of the Ohio Army National Guard's 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Their identities were not immediately released pending full notification of next of kin.

After the attack on Wednesday, Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi claimed responsibility and identified the bomber as Mullah Abdul Ghafar of Sar-e Pol province. "The attack was carried out by a lion of Islamic Emirate (Taliban) when he detonated his explosives belt in the middle of foreign invaders and their puppets while the enemy troops were on their way to a nearby park," he said on Wednesday.

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