Taliban Leader Unhurt in Bombing

The ruling Taliban’s reclusive leader escaped a truck bomb that exploded near his home in Kandahar, killing seven people, including his three bodyguards, officials said. Kandahar is considered the heartland of the Taliban, and so far Taliban officials both in Kabul, the Afghan capital, and Kandahar have been unable to explain how the explosives-laden truck was able to get within three houses of Mullah Mohammed Omar’s home. The extent of damage to his dwelling wasn’t immediately clear, but officials said it was “slight.” The blast shattered windows of other homes in the area, and houses several blocks away were damaged. No one took responsibility for the explosion.