Al-Qaeda-Linked Haqqani Network Blamed For Afghanistan Volleyball Massacre
Afghan authorities has blamed a Pakistani group linked to the Taliban for the deadliest insurgency to hit the country this year.
A suicide bomber killed more than 60 people at a volleyball game in Paktika province, bordering Pakistan. At least 63 others, including many children, were wounded.
Afghanistan's intelligence agency said evidence suggested the Haqqani Network, an Islamist militant group, was responsible for the massacre.
The National Directorate of Security (NDS) tweeted:
#Haqqni_Network was behind the deadly #suicide attack in #Paktika province killing and injuring around a hundred innocent civilians.
— NDS Afghanistan (@NDSAfghanistan) November 24, 2014The Haqqani Network has links to al-Qaida and the Taliban and is designated as a terrorist organisation by the US.
It answers to Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar and has been blamed for a number of deadly attacks in the Afghan war, including hotel attacks on foreigners in the Afghan capital of Kabul and assaults on both the Indian and the US embassy.
The group is known to have also carried out kidnappings for ransom, and their targets have included western hostages.
The Paktika bombing reportedly targeted a local police commander, Bawar Khan, who was killed in the blast.
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