Kabul, July 21 (DPA) Eight suicide bombers attacked several government buildings in two eastern Afghan provinces Tuesday, killing at least five Afghan security forces personnel, officials said.
Six bombers attacked three government buildings in Gardez, the provincial capital of the southeastern province of Paktia, Tuesday morning, killing at least two policemen and three intelligence agents, Rohullah Samoon, a spokesman for the provincial governor told DPA.
“Three bombers tried to enter the intelligence office in the city, but two were killed by the security forces and one bomber could detonate his explosives, killing three intelligence forces,” he said.
Two other bombers were shot dead by security forces while they attempted to enter the governor’s office, while a sixth attacker fired on police near a police station in the city, killing two policemen and wounding three others including a commander, he said.
The sixth bomber was killed by police before he could detonate his explosive-filled vest, Samoon said, adding that the situation in the city had returned to normal.
“All the bombers entered the city wearing women’s burqas,” he said, referring to head-to-toe veils worn by many women in Afghanistan.
However, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid, claimed that 15 Taliban fighters, all equipped with suicide vests and weapons attacked several government offices in the city of Gardez.
“I can confirm that several government officials, including the police chief of the province were killed in the attacks and the fighting in still ongoing in different parts of the city,” Mujahid told DPA by phone from an undisclosed location.
Meanwhile, four other suicide bombers attacked the airport in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province, also Tuesday morning, Mujahid said, adding that two bombers detonated their explosives at the gate of the airport, while the other two entered the compound and blew themselves up.
“All four mujahideen were martyred in this attack” Mujahid said, adding the soldiers suffered heavy casualties.
A police official in Jalalabad confirmed the attack, but said only two bombers were killed by security guards at the airport before they could blow themselves up.
