Taliban claims responsibility for suicide bombing in Afghan city of Ghazni, 7 dead, 40 wounded

May 18, 2020 Michael US 0

Afghan security forces inspect the site of a bomb explosion in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, May 18, 2020. A suicide bomber in a stolen military Humvee targeted a base in eastern Afghanistan belonging to the country’s intelligence service early on Monday, killing many members of the force. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 7:11 AM PT — Monday, May 18, 2020

An apparent suicide bombing recently left several people dead and dozens of others wounded in eastern Afghanistan.

Government officials confirmed a car bomb was detonated outside a military base in the city of Ghazni on Monday, killing at least seven people and wounding more than 40 others.

In a statement, the country’s interior ministry said most of the victims have been identified as intelligence personnel. During the attack, a second group of militants reportedly engaged in a gun fight with security forces outside the facility.

“At first, we heard gunshots. The shooting lasted about 10 minutes and then there was a very loud explosion. My friend and I were resting in this room, and pieces of glass and the door fell on us.”

— Mustafa Jan, eyewitness

#Taliban claimed to have neutralised over 56 Afghan Soldiers in Ghazni base attack when suicide bomber Zaid Kandahari rammed explosives-laden Humvee into joint base of 703 battalion & NDS.
Commander-in-chief of Kandak, Naqibullah Argouni, 42 commandos are said to be wounded pic.twitter.com/o0ekxu5fmT

— Farzana Shah (@Jana_Shah) May 18, 2020

Meanwhile, the Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack. The bombing marks the latest escalation of violence in the region after the Afghan government ordered its military to resume strikes against the militant group.