Suicide bombing kills 8 civilians in S. Afghanistan

A suicide car bombing killed eight civilians and injured eight persons on Friday in the southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan, an official told Xinhua.

Eight civilians were killed and eight persons including two NATO soldiers injured in the bombing, which happened at around 10: 00 a.m. local time in Kandahar city, the provincial capital, said Kumbkhla, head of local Minwais Hospital.

Meanwhile, Dawood Ahmadi, a spokesman for Kandahar Governor, told Xinhua that the bombing was targeting at a NATO military convoy and had damaged a NATO vehicle.

Maj. Dominic White, a spokesman for NATO troops, told Xinhua that "a low number of casualties" happened to NATO soldiers, but he declined to release the exact number.

He said at least five civilians were killed in the bombing, but he had no information about the injured civilians.

Due to backwardness in military equipment and tactics, Taliban and other militants have frequently carried out suicide bombings against ISAF troops in this country.

Because of rising Taliban-linked violence this year, Afghanistan has plunged into the worst spate of bloodshed since the Taliban regime was toppled nearly five years ago.

Over 2,400 people, mostly Taliban militants, have been killed this year in this volatile country.

Source: Xinhua