Twelve Afghans died and 59 were wounded in twin suicide attacks Saturday in central Afghanistan, while two US soldiers were killed in a separate incident in Ghazni province. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the suicide bombings in Wardak province that took place near a military base.
Provincial spokesman Shahedullah Shahed said one of the assailants blew up his explosives-laden vest at the gate of the Sayedabad district building, while another detonated his truck. Eight civilians and four police officers were killed, while 47 civilians, seven police officers, three intelligence officers and two soldiers from the Nato-led coalition were wounded, Shahed said.
However, Major Adam Wojack told dpa: "No Nato fatalities or injuries have been reported despite the (fact that the) incident happened close to the military base in Sayedabad district." Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed said via text message: "The first bomber detonated himself at the gate of the US base opening way for the truck bomber." He claimed that dozens of US soldiers were killed and scores more wounded.
Meanwhile, Nato said that two US soldiers died "following an insurgent attack in Ghazni province on Saturday." Separately, President Hamid Karzai condemned what he called a "unilateral operation" launched by Australian troops in southern Uruzgan province, saying it breached an agreement signed with Nato.
Australian forces launched a military operation late Friday in the provincial capital, Tarinkot, in which tribal elder Raz Mohammad Khan, 70, and his son Abdul Jalil, 30, were killed. "Raz Mohammad had no relationship with the government or the militants. He and his son were the victims of wrong reports received by Australian troops regarding (their) relations with the Taliban," said Abdullah Hemmat, the provincial spokesman. Nine detained civilians were released Saturday after the Uruzgan governor spoke to the Australians, Hemmat said.
Also, security forces arrested a senior Taliban commander in northern Kunduz province, police said Saturday. Qari Neyaz Mohammad was in charge of the provinces of Baghlan, Kunduz, Takhar and Badakhshan, said Samiullah Qatrah, the Kunduz police chief. The international military coalition confirmed Saturday that a "senior leader" of al Qaeda, Abu Walid, was killed on August 3 in the district of Watahpur in Kunar province.
"Abu Walid, also known as Amru Mastur al-Ghamrawi, was a Saudi al Qaeda leader and improvised explosive device expert who participated in numerous attacks against Afghan and coalition forces," the coalition said in a statement. According to a United Nations report, an estimated 1,145 civilians have been killed and 1,954 injured in the first six months of this year. It blamed insurgents for 80 per cent of the deaths.