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KABUL- At least five civilians were “martyred” and another 30 people including five army personnel were injured after a Taliban suicide bomber detonated his truck bomb near a military installation in southeastern Paktia province of the country, officials said.
The attack took place around 8:30am in Gardiz, capital city of Paktia province in a crowded area of the city and near to a military installation and provincial revenue department, Ministry of Interior said.
At least five civilians were “martyred” and another 30 people including five members of the army were injured in the attack, Ministry of Defense confirmed in a statement.
Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack and said “tens of” members of the army in the targeted building were either killed or injured.
The militants tried to justify the attack as a response to a recent decision of the government to order security forces to switch from active defensive posture to offensive mode.
Government decided to end defensive mode of the security forces nearly after two and a half months after Taliban on several occasions denied to reduce the level of violence in the country or to accept a ceasefire.
According to recent update by government Taliban have carried out 3,712 attacks, since signing a deal with the US in February. In these attacks besides the security forces, 469 civilians have been martyred and 948 others injured.
However, this has been the first major truck bomb attack by the Taliban in an urban area of the country since the group signed a deal with the United States.
