At least 18 dead in bomb attacks in Afghanistan

Icon: enlarge

Damaged police car after a bomb attack on October 5th in Mihtarlam, Afghanistan

Photo: NOORULLAH SHIRZADA / AFP

At least 18 people were killed in two bomb attacks in Afghanistan over the weekend.

In northern Sar-e Pul province, 13 people were killed on Saturday when an explosive device exploded next to a passing vehicle.

There were three civilians among the dead.

The authorities also announced that three soldiers were wounded.

This was preceded by an hour-long firefight with the Islamist Taliban.

The province of Sar-e Pul has long been hotly contested.

Aminullah Aydin Provincial Council said at least 46 Afghan security forces in various parts of the province had been killed, wounded or captured by the Taliban in the previous 48 hours.

Trump announced the withdrawal of the US armed forces

Also on Saturday, an explosive device exploded on the side of the road in the southern Helmand province.

At least five people were killed and at least ten injured, according to government reports.

The government blamed the Taliban for the act, and initially there was no reaction from them.

The conflict between the government in Kabul and its western allies on the one hand and the Taliban on the other has been raging for almost 20 years.

Peace talks started in September, but so far there has been little progress.

US President Donald Trump surprisingly announced on Wednesday a full withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan at the end of the year.

Taliban support Donald Trump in the US election campaign

In return, Trump received the backing of the Taliban for his re-election campaign.

"We hope that he wins the election and that the US military presence in Afghanistan is handled," said Taliban spokesman Sabihullah Mujahid in a telephone interview with the broadcaster CBS.

The withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan is one of Trump's promises in his election campaign.

Just a few days ago he had announced that all American soldiers could be withdrawn from Afghanistan by the end of the year.

A spokesman for Trump's campaign team, Tim Murtaugh, denied support for the Taliban.

"The Taliban should actually know that the president will always protect the interests of the United States by whatever means necessary," Murtaugh told CBS.

Icon: The mirror

rai / dpa