Taliban militants storm Afghan court, kill 44: Officials
Iran Press TV
Wed Apr 3, 2013 3:20PM GMT
At least 44 people have been killed after Taliban militants stormed a court complex in Afghanistan’s western province of Farah, officials say.
“I can confirm that 34 civilians, six army personnel and four policemen have been killed and 91 people, the majority of them civilians, have been injured (in the attack),” Interior Ministry's deputy spokesman, Najib Danish, said in a statement on Wednesday.
He added that nine attackers have been also killed.
Reports say the violence erupted after the militants detonated a car bomb outside the court before entering its building.
Deputy provincial governor, Yonus Rasouli, said that the attacks damaged many government buildings in the area.
On the same day, Taliban militants also ambushed the escort of a private security firm in the western province of Badghis.
Two of the firm’s guards were reportedly killed and a number of others were wounded in the assault.
Separately, the Taliban group claimed responsibility for a roadside bomb attack which killed at least four policemen in the country's southeastern Paktika Province, on Tuesday.
In October 2001, the United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan as part of the so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban regime from power, but insecurity remains across the country.
According to the United Nations, thousands of civilians have died and hundreds of thousands more displaced inside Afghanistan since the US-led invasion.
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