Deadly attacks reported in Afghanistan

At least six killed in suicide bombing at a market in Takhar while two foreign women die in Herat shooting.

Herat map

A bombing in an Afghanistan market has killed at least six people while two foreign women have been killed in a separate attack.

A young girl was among the dead in Thursday’s bombing at a market in Takhar province, AP news agency reported.

At least 26 others were wounded in the blast, AP said.

Sonatullah Timor, spokesman for the Takhar provincial government, said the attack was aimed at a police car but that the police escaped unharmed.

“All of the wounded were civilians, six were killed and 26 others were wounded,” he said.

The bomb as placed on a motorcycle, he added.

It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the attack, but Taliban fighters frequently target the country’s security forces.

Also on Thursday, two foreign women were shot by unknown assailants while travelling in a taxi in the western Afghan city of Herat, officials said.

Their nationalities have not yet been confirmed.

“This morning at around 11:30am (0700 GMT) gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire at two foreigners riding in a taxi and killed them,” Sayed Fazullah Wahidy, governor of Herat province told AFP news agency.

Afghanistan is in the middle of an election dispute between poll rivals Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah which threatens to trigger instability and revive ethnic tensions.

According to recent UN figures, civilian casualties soared by 24 percent in the first half of 2014, while the International Crisis Group has said the “overall trend is one of escalating violence and insurgent attacks.”

Source: Al Jazeera, News Agencies