New Delhi:
The death toll in the triple suicide bombing affected by Taliban in Afghanistan on Tuesday has risen to 74 as per latest reports coming on the barbaric incident. The Afghan authorities meanwhile claim to have killed 35 Taliban fighters in a drone attack near Pakistan's border.
The number of people dead has risen up to 74 in a wave of attacks launched by Taliban on Tuesday, reported AP. Multiple suicide bombers attacked Afghanistan's south, west and eastern parts. Several people have been reported to be wounded as well.
In a press conference, Afghanistan's Deputy Interior Minister, Murad Ali Murad, called the attacks the "biggest terrorist attack this year". He further told that the attacks killed 71 people in provinces of Ghazni and Paktia.
In southern Paktia province, 41 people - 21 policemen and 20 civilians - were killed when the Taliban targeted a police compound in the provincial capital of Gardez with two suicide car bombs. Among the wounded were 48 policemen and 110 civilians.
Paktia's provincial police chief was also among the people killed in the attack. Waheed Majroo, spokesperson of Afghanistan's Health Ministry in a statement said that the Gardez hospital had recorded around 130 wounded people in the attack.
Apart from the police chief, many civilians have been reported dead. Arif Noori, spokesman for the provincial governor in Ghazni, said the Taliban attack there lasted nine hours. By the time the attackers were repelled, there were 13 bodies of Taliban fighters on the ground, Noori added.
Meanwhile, in the western province of Farah, Taliban attacked a government compound in Shibkho district, killing three policemen.The Taliban has claimed responsibility for all three attacks. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed the attack and confirmed the use of two vehicles -- a truck and a stolen police vehicle. "In both attacks tens of police were killed, buildings destroyed," Mujahid said.
The Afghanistan government has been rapidly losing ground to Taliban over the past two-and-a-half years. According to US SIGAR (Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction), the government controls only 57 per cent of the country. SIGAR data also shows that between January and November 2016, at least 6,785 Afghan security personnel were killed and 11,777 wounded, coinciding with an escalation in the conflict, reported IANS.
(With inputs from agencies)
