KANDAHAR, May 17: Three bombs struck Kandahar on Thursday, killing nine people, as the Taliban warned of a wave of violence to avenge the death of its top commander. National Information Minister Abdul Karim Khoram was hurt in one of the blasts -- a suicide car bombing that struck the armoured vehicle of the Kandahar governor.
Two civilians were killed and four other people hurt, said Governor Assadullah Khalid.
“There was a suicide attack against my car but I was not in it,” he told reporters at a media briefing in the city’s main hospital, where the minister was treated.
Mr Khalid said the attack was an attempt by Taliban supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar to avenge the death of his top lieutenant Mullah Dadullah.
A Taliban commander confirmed this was the intention. “The attack on the governor of Kandahar’s vehicle was part of a larger campaign that we have launched,” said a man who identified himself as Taliban regional commander Ebrahim Hanafi.
“We will be targeting major cities such as Kandahar and Kabul with a wave of suicide bombings, guerrilla fighting and roadside bombings,” he said.
“This is for Dadullah. We will take his revenge.”
Mr Hanafi said the Taliban were gunning for the governor because he had refused to hand over Dadullah’s body to the militia.—AFP
