KANDAHAR, July 22: Two suicide attacks struck Kandahar about an hour apart on Saturday, killing two western soldiers and six Afghan civilians.

Twenty-seven Afghan civilians and eight western soldiers were also wounded in the blasts, which hit about 100 metres from each other, officials from the Afghan government said.

Purported Taliban spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi said the movement had carried out both attacks. “The second was pre-planned to impact more casualties,” he said by telephone.

The first attack ripped into a vehicle of the US-led force based in the city.

People were gathered around the scene of the blast when the second explosion struck.

“Two coalition soldiers were killed and eight were wounded in the suicide car bombing this afternoon,” spokesman Major Scott Lundy said.

“From the second explosion — five killed and 22 wounded,” police ministry spokesman Yousuf Stanizai said.—AFP