35 Afghans killed at wedding party
At least 35 civilians attending a wedding party were killed and 13 people wounded by explosions and gunfire during a raid by Afghan government forces on a nearby militant hideout, two officials in southern Helmand province said yesterday.
The officials said the house being used by the Taliban to train suicide bombers was located adjacent to the bride’s home that came under fire during Sunday night’s attack.
A senior Afghan Defence Ministry official said the raid was against “a foreign terrorist group actively engaged in organizing terrorist attacks”.
“During the operation, a large warehouse of the terrorists’ supplies and equipment was also demolished,” the official said.
A second Afghan Defence Ministry official said a foreign militant detonated a suicide vest that killed him and others around him, including a woman.
“The compound was being used to train men and women who were willing to become suicide bombers, we raided it. We are aware that civilians were injured in the attack,” he said.
Attaullah Afghan, a member of the Helmand provincial council member, said 35 civilians people attending the wedding party near to the attack site in the Khaksar area of Musa Qala district were killed and 13 were injured.
A second provincial council member, Abdul Majid Akhundzadah, said 40 people, all civilians.
The Defence Ministry said the Taliban hideout was also used by foreign nationals working for the hardline Islamist group.
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