Blast in Kabul on US military chief visit
The Afghan capital was rocked on Saturday by an accidental blast as Washington’s military chief promised business as usual despite the sacking of the US commander of foreign forces.
The blast, near the foreign ministry in Kabul’s embassy district, happened when an anti-personnel mine in an Afghan Army vehicle accidentally detonated, a spokesman for Nato’s International Security Assistance Force said.
It was not an attack by Taliban-linked insurgents, Lieutenant-Commander Ian Baxter told AFP of the blast, which happened around 9.55 am. The blast shook Kabul after US Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived late on Friday on a mission to reassure Afghan leaders following the sacking of the top commander.
The police on the scene of the blast said there were no casualties. General Mohammed Zahir Azimi, spokesman for the defence minister, said the Afghan National Army driver of the truck had been detained for questioning.
During his meeting with President Hamid Karzai, Admiral Mullen said Nato troops would still “spare no efforts avoiding civilian casualties” while continuing to strengthen and cooperate with Afghan forces, a statement said.
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Forces kill Taliban leader wearing woman’s clothes
Kabul, June 26: A senior Taliban commander disguised in woman’s clothes was killed by Afghan and international forces when he fired on troops trying to catch him south of Kabul, the military said on Saturday.
Nato and Afghan security forces cornered Ghulam Sakhi at a compound on Friday night in Logar province’s Puli Alam district, and called for women and children to leave the building, a coalition statement said. “As they were exiting, Sakhi came out with the group disguised in women’s attire and pulled out a pistol and a grenade and shot at the security force,” it said. —AFP
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