Afghanistan: terrorist attack kills at least 18 people in eastern Afghanistan

At least 18 people, mostly civilians, were killed on Saturday when a car bomb attacked a convoy of provincial security forces in eastern Afghanistan, an interior ministry official said.

Najib Danish, the ministry's deputy spokesman, said the target of the bombing was a group of guards who provide security for US forces in Khost province, but most of the casualties in the attack were civilians.

Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, claimed responsibility for the attack in a press release. Taliban insurgents have stepped up attacks on Afghan security forces since announcing their spring offensive last month.

Security forces have been attacked near the province's main bus station, Danish said. "Six other civilians, including two small children, were injured in the attack," he said.

The attack, which occurred on a road between the bus station and the provincial football stadium, damaged or destroyed about a dozen shops and several vehicles. The attack occurred on the first day of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month.

Mubariz Zadran, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said the number of victims could increase because some of the injured were in critical condition.

Meanwhile, at least six civilians and 15 fighters from an affiliated group of the Islamic state were killed in Nangarhar province, said Attullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the provincial governor.

Separately, two police officers were killed and killed in Kandarhar by unknown armed men on Friday night, said Samim Khpolwak, a spokesman for the provincial governor. According to him, another police officer was injured in the shooting and an investigation is under way. No one claimed responsibility for the attack.

 Source: Associated Press.