Deadly suicide bomb in Afghan market

  • 22/07/2015
(Reuters)
(Reuters)

At least 15 people are dead after a suicide attacker blew himself up in a busy market in northern Afghanistan.

Women and children were among those killed in the attack in Almar district of Faryab province.

"This morning a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden vest in a market in Almar," Faryab governor Abdul Sattar Barez said on Wednesday (local time).

"Our information shows at least 15 people were killed in the attack, including women and children and at least one Afghan army soldier," he said, adding that 38 others were wounded.

The attack comes as Taliban insurgents step up attacks on government and foreign targets during their summer offensive despite official efforts to jumpstart peace talks.

US-led NATO forces ended their combat mission in Afghanistan in December, leaving local forces to battle the Taliban alone but a 13,000-strong residual force remains for training and counter-terrorism operations.

AFP