Bomb blasts, rocket attack leave 11 Afghan civilians deadJuly 7, 2012 - 17:52 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Bomb blasts and a rocket attack have killed 11 civilians including at least four children in the space of 24 hours in southern Afghanistan, officials said Saturday, July 7, according to AFP A roadside bomb ripped through a pickup truck Saturday in the Chora district of Uruzgan province killing six people, provincial police spokesman Jawed Faisal told AFP. "All six civilians on board were killed and their vehicle was destroyed," he said. On the same day a bomb exploded in the Gereshk district of southern Afghanistan's volatile Helmand province, killing one child and wounding another, a statement from the provincial media office said. In the same district on Friday a bomb blast killed three children and wounded two others, the statement said. Meanwhile, a rocket attack Saturday targeting the governor's office in the southwestern province of Farah killed one civilian and wounded 26 others, officials said. Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted on Afghan roads are a common insurgent tactic but they frequently miss their intended target -- Afghan and NATO troops -- resulting in civilian deaths. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombings but officials in Uruzgan and Helmand blamed them on the "enemies of Afghanistan", a standard phrase used to refer to the Taliban. Thousands of Afghan civilians have been killed in the decade-long insurgency being waged by the Taliban to topple the US-backed government of President Hamid Karzai. According to the United Nations, the number of civilians killed in the war has risen steadily in the past five years, reaching a record 3,021 in 2011 -- the vast majority caused by insurgents. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |