A blast in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar yesterday killed no fewer than 16 people, as fighting across the country showed no sign of easing off during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
There was some confusion about the cause of the Kandahar explosion, which sent a huge cloud of dust and smoke into the air. Officials initially said it was caused by a bomb packed into a minibus but later said the explosives were in two containers stored in an area of mechanics workshops.
Nematullah Barak, a head of the Mirwais hospital in Kandahar, said 16 people died and 38 wounded, including several children, had been brought in but the final total could be higher as ambulances were still at the scene, as at press time.
The NDS intelligence service said in a statement the explosives were discovered in a large open yard of workshops but went off before they could be defused. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Witnesses said repair crews were at the site, clearing large quantities of rubble and debris from the explosion.
The casualties add to the hundreds of people who have been killed or wounded in bomb attacks since the beginning of the year. Many have been in the capital, Kabul, but provincial cities have also been hit as the Taliban, seeking to reimpose hardline Islamic rule, have stepped up fighting across the country.
