Afghan officials say at least eight people were killed and dozens injured in a bomb attack in the eastern province of Logar on July 30, just hours before a three-day cease-fire was to begin for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha.
The suspected car bomb went off in the central Azadi (Liberty) Square in the provincial capital, Pol-e-Alam, which was packed with people shopping for Eid celebrations, according to local officials and eyewitnesses.
The Interior Ministry said in a statement that all the victims were civilians, with women and children among the dead.
However, provincial police spokesman Shahpoor Ahmadzai said the attack targeted a police checkpoint and that there were security forces among the victims.
According to Ahmadzai, government forces had gathered in the city to prepare for security measures ahead of the Eid celebrations.
He said the civilian casualties were mainly in cars that had stopped at a checkpoint.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. The Taliban denied involvement.
The Afghan government and the Taliban have agreed on a three-day ceasefire starting on July 31, the first day of Eid in Afghanistan.
The cease-fire is slated to last for the duration of the festival, which marks the end of the annual hajj pilgrimage.
Related
Editors' Picks
Afghanistan/Pakistan Trending
1
After Key Report On Afghanistan, State Department Says Taliban Was Keeping Aid
2Four Years On, UN Says Taliban Close To 'Erasing' Afghan Women From Public Life
3Bad Move: Taliban's Chess Ban Adds To Crackdown On Sports And Pastimes
4UK Data Leak Spurs Costly Afghan Resettlement And Security Fears
5Taliban Restrictions Blamed For Surge In Suicides Among Afghans
6Kabul's Quiet Resistance: Young Afghans Navigate Life Under The Taliban
7Afghan Expert Says Sudden Cutoff In US Aid Has Hit The Vulnerable Hard
8An Afghan Singer, Once Propelled To Fame On TV Show, Goes Missing In Kabul
9Barred From Studying, Afghan Woman Uses Tech Skills To Keep Power Running
10Pakistan Arrests 11 After Viral Video of Alleged ‘Honor’ Killing
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.
