1 child killed, 3 injured in Jawzjan roadside bombing

SHIBERGHAN (Pajhwok): A girl was killed and another two girls and a boy were injured in a landmine explosion in Qush Tepa district of northern Jawzjan province on Monday, an official said.

The governor’s spokesman, Mohammad Raza Ghafori, told Pajhwok Afghan News the blast took place when the children were crossing a road in Chaghar village of the district.

He said an 11-years-old girl was killed and three others aged between 12 and 14 were injured in the incident. The injured children were said to be in stable condition.

Ghafori accused the Taliban of planting the bomb to target Afghan Local Police (ALP) and uprising members.

He, however, said two militants planting bombs on a road were detained in Qorbaqa area of Muradian district. The detainees had confessed to planting bombs to target security forces, Ghafori added.

Ghafori also said two ALP members defected to the Taliban along with a vehicle and a Kalashnikov in Qush Tepa district on Sunday night.

However, a Taliban spokesman said only one ALP member along with a ranger pick-up and three Kalashnikovs had joined them. He identified the defecting ALP member as Salim.

mds/ma