KABUL, Oct 16: Seven people, including two US soldiers, died in explosions in Afghanistan on Saturday. Three rockets were also fired in the capital, injuring one woman and damaging an apartment building, in the latest of a string of attacks since last Saturday's poll.

Security experts had warned of a possible resurgence of violence after the election, which was largely peaceful despite threats of attack from loyalists of the Taliban.

The US military said two soldiers were killed on Thursday in a landmine blast in the south-central province of Uruzgan, a Taliban bastion, while an Afghan soldier was killed in a mine explosion in western Herat.

Another four people, including three children, were killed in eastern Kunar province late on Friday when a remote-controlled bomb exploded after a crowd had gathered near a truck that had been set alight as it was delivering food to US bases, an Afghan official said.

President Karzai condemned Friday's attack, which coincided with the first day of Ramazan, as "inhuman and un-Islamic".

US military spokesman Scott Nelson said troops and the Afghan government would "maintain vigilance and maintain security and a high presence" to deter face-saving attacks by militants in the wake of their failure to disrupt the polls.

Vote counting started in most areas on Thursday after a delay caused by allegations of irregularities.-AFP

Opinion

Editorial

A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...
GB polls’ aftermath
Updated 11 Jun, 2026

GB polls’ aftermath

The new administration must address the region’s issues proactively.
Peace in retreat
11 Jun, 2026

Peace in retreat

THE ceasefire announced in April was supposed to create space for negotiations. Instead, it has been repeatedly...
A few good men
11 Jun, 2026

A few good men

IT was a brave move, no doubt. This Tuesday, in the land of the Afghan Taliban, a few good men decided to take a...