KANDAHAR, Nov 19: A suicide attack outside the office of the governor of Afghanistan’s south-western Nimroz province on Monday killed one of his adult sons and six of his bodyguards, the governor told AFP.

The blast happened at the gate of the provincial headquarters in Zaranj city soon after the governor entered. Nimroz is a relatively peaceful province sharing a long border with Iran.

“Just as I got into my office today, there was a suicide attack outside the compound. Apparently I was the target of the suicide attacker,” Governor Ghulam Dastageer said.

He said: “Six of my bodyguards and my son were martyred in the suicide attack. Fourteen other people, including policemen and civilians, were wounded.”

Provincial police chief Mohammad Daud Askaryar said four of the wounded were civilians. “The attack was aimed at creating an atmosphere of fear in our province,” he said.

Taliban spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi claimed responsibility for the attack in a telephone call from an unknown location.

“Our brave Mujahid brother carried out the attack against Nimroz governor killing around 30 guards and policemen,” he said.

Earlier on Monday, Afghan soldiers foiled an attempted bus bombing in the capital Kabul, preventing a would-be suicide bomber detonating his explosive-laden jacket, the Afghan defence ministry said.

Soldiers became wary when a man they did not recognise tried to get on an Afghan army commuter bus, ministry spokesman General Zahir Azimi said.

“They realised that an unfamiliar person was trying to get on the bus,” he said.—AFP