Suicide bombing kills dozens of civilians near U.S. base in Afghanistan
A suicide bombing near a U.S. military base left dozens of civilians dead and injured in eastern Afghanistan.
The attack occurred Sunday evening when the driver of an explosives-laden vehicle rammed his car into a police checkpoint in Khowst City, the capital of the eastern province of Khowst.
The police chief of Khowst city, Faizullah Ghairat, said 25 people were killed and 10 were wounded, all of them Afghan civilians, including women and children. However, Mubariz Zadran, spokesman for the provincial governor’s office, said the casualty toll could be as high as 45.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
Zadran said the bombing took place near U.S. Forward Operating Base Chapman, which was believed to have been the intended target. In 2009, a suicide bomber inside Chapman killed seven CIA officers and contractors in one of the worst losses ever suffered by U.S. intelligence.
Sunday’s blast came as Muslims around the world prepared for the Eid festivities that mark the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting.
In previous years, attacks during the final days of Ramadan, when Afghans flock to markets for sweets and new clothes, or during the Eid festivities have stirred significant public outrage.
Latifi is a special correspondent
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