 |
| Districts of Nimruz. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
By Bill Roggio - August 14, 2012 - LWJ
A Taliban suicide assault team fanned out across the western city of
Zaranj today, killing 36 Afghans in several attacks before being gunned
down by Afghan forces.
A suicide assault team consisting of 11 men armed with assault rifles
and wearing suicide vests hit multiple targets in the city, including
the governor's compound, at 3:30 p.m. local time. Three of the Taliban
fighters detonated their vests; two of them detonated outside of a
hospital in the city, and another detonated at a bazaar,
according to TOLONews.
"Security forces killed two of the suicide attackers last night and
detained three others this morning. Three managed to detonate themselves
while three others were gunned down," Mujibullah Latifi, the deputy
chief of police for Zaranj
told AFP.
Four policemen were among the 36 Afghans killed during the assault, according to
TOLONews.
Today's attack occurred three days after a Taliban fighter disguised as an Afghan policeman
gunned down 11 police officers in Delaram in Nimroz. Afghan security personnel returned fire and killed him.
The Taliban have conducted several suicide attacks and assaults in
Nimroz and neighboring Farah province in western Afghanistan over the
past three years. In May, a suicide assault team
attacked the governor's compound in Farah. Six policemen, a civilian, and four members of the suicide assault team were killed during the attack.
In April, a suicide bomber detonated a cart packed with explosives,
killing a US Marine and wounding others in Zaranj. The Taliban then opened fire on the US and Afghan troops from nearby buildings.
In March, a large Taliban force ambushed an Afghan supply column in
the Gulistan district of Farah province. Thirty Taliban fighters and
seven security guards were killed during the clash.
In May 2010, a suicide assault team hit the government center and other sites in Zaranj. Suicide bombers fanned out and
hit the governor's compound, the justice department, and the courthouse.
Three civilians and eight members of the assault team were killed.
And in November 2009, a suicide bomber driving a motorcycle detonated his explosives in a market in Farah City,
killing 17 people and wounding 29.
Washington Time
Kabul Time
London Time
