Afghanistan: Motorcycle-borne suicide bomber kills 11 near Pakistan border

A suicide bomber killed 11 people and injured 40 in the town of Asadabad in the eastern Afghan province of Kunar near the border with Pakistan. The bomber rode a motorcycle to the entrance of the compound of a government building where he triggered the device that killed tribal elder and militia commander Haji Khan Jan who was involved in a number of operations against the Taliban in his district.

Provincial Governor Wahidullah Kalimzai told Reuters that no particular group has claimed responsibility for the bombing as yet. "Most of victims were civilians and children who were either passing by or playing in the park," he said.

In a similar attack on 22 February, a suicide bomber on a motorcycle blew himself up along with 14 others near a clinic and market place in Afghanistan's northern Parwan province. The target, a police commander, was injured in the attack which took place prior to a round of peace talks in Kabul. "Once again, a Taliban suicide bomber attacked innocent civilians," provincial police chief, General Zaman Mamozai said.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. On 1 February, a Taliban suicide bomber killed 20 people at a police station in Kabul which has witnessed a series of attacks by the extremist group as part of its campaign against the Western-backed government.