Bombing attacks kill 9 in Afghanistan

A bombing attack killed four Nepalese and one Afghan staff working for a UN organization in Kandahar province of southern Afghanistan on Tuesday, while another one killed four Afghan pupils in the western Herat province, officials said.

The explosion killed four Nepalese security guards and one Afghan driver in a UN vehicle in Kandahar city, the provincial capital, provincial police chief Asmatullah Alizai told Xinhua.

It was a remote-controlled bombing, Alizai said, adding the vehicle was totally damaged.

Meanwhile, Aleem Siddique, spokesman for the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), told Xinhua the vehicle belonged to the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), which focuses on helping clients implement their projects and programs.

This attack came two days after a suicide bombing killed three Afghan guards and one driver of a private U.S. security company the USPI in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province.

Also on Tuesday, another bomb attack killed four pupils and injured four others in a school in Herat city, capital of Herat province, Abdul Zahir, director of provincial education department, told Xinhua.

Militants put a bomb in the sport ground in Baba Rangi primary school and detonated it at around 10:00 a.m. (0530 GMT), he said, adding all the victims were boys.

No one has claimed responsibility for either incident and investigations are underway, according to officials.

Commenting on the two bomb attacks, a UNAMA statement said, " Intentional attacks on civilians are a clear violation of international humanitarian law and the UN will be pursuing full accountability for those who are behind this."

"We grieve for our lost colleagues and for the murdered and wounded children and offer our deep sympathies to their families and loved ones," it added.

A bombing attack killed one female student and injured six others in a class of Herat University on July 3, 2006.

Over the past two months, bomb attacks or suicide bombings have happened in Afghanistan nearly on a daily base.

A suicide bombing on Monday killed nine policemen and injured 32 others in Kunduz city, capital of Kunduz province, in the relatively calm northern region.

A total of 11 soldiers of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) have been killed by roadside bombings in this volatile country since April 8.

The Taliban claimed 2,000 suicide bombers would launch a bloody spring offensive against foreign troops and other targets in this country this year.

Due to rising Taliban-linked insurgency, over 900 persons, mostly Taliban militants, have been killed in Afghanistan this year.

Source: Xinhua