Eight people were killed and at least 47 others injured, the vast majority of them women and children, in the explosion of a car packed with explosives near a police station in western Afghanistan on Friday 12 August. evening, officials said on Saturday March 13.
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The death toll from the explosion in the town of Herat is eight dead and 47 wounded and "
among the dead are a member of the security forces and seven civilians - two men, two women and three children,
" he said. 'AFP Jailani Farhad, spokesperson for the governor of Herat.
At least 20 women and eight children were injured, as well as eight members of the Afghan forces, he said.
According to Jailani Farhad, dozens of homes and shops were damaged.
Rafiq Sherzai, spokesperson for the Herat hospital, confirmed this assessment.
Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian confirmed the death toll and told AFP "
54 injured, including seven police officers
."
While Herat, one of the country's largest cities, remains under government control, it is surrounded by rural areas where fighting between Afghan and Taliban forces rages on.
The attack on Friday March 12 has so far not been claimed.
"
The explosion in Herat has nothing to do with our (fighters),
" Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesperson for the Taliban, told AFP.
As part of the peace process that began last year, the Taliban have pledged no further large-scale attacks in urban centers.
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But large cities have, however, been affected for several months by a wave of targeted assassinations targeting journalists, judges, doctors, political and religious figures, and human rights defenders.
Afghan and American authorities blamed the killings on the Taliban.
UN condemnation
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani blamed the Taliban for Friday night's attack, saying they "were
continuing their war and their illegitimate violence against our people
" and "
once again demonstrated that they had no intention of reaching a peaceful settlement. current crises
”.
Meanwhile, the UN Security Council on Friday condemned "
in the strongest terms the alarming number of attacks deliberately targeting civilians in Afghanistan
."
Council members also "
urged the parties to the (inter-Afghan) negotiations to take confidence-building measures, including the reduction of violence
".
