A bombing took place in a market in the province of Faryab, killing more than a dozen people.
A suicide bombing occurred at a marketplace in northwest Afghanistan in the province of Faryab on Wednesday, killing at least 19 and wounding 38, officials said.
“The condition of many wounded victims is critical, and efforts have been made to transfer them to Balkh and other provinces as soon as possible,” said Naqibullah Fayeq, a member of the Faryab parliament, according to New York Times.
The bomber was on a motorcycle and set off the explosives after being spotted by security forces in the market on a day when many people were out in public after the Eid-al Fitr holiday. The suicide bomber is believed to have been targeting government officials and military forces in the area.
“The incident, unfortunately, caused grave casualties to civilians,” Mr. Fayeq said to New York Times.
While not one person or group has claimed responsibility for the bombing, suspicion falls on the Taliban, which has used similar tactics, such as suicide bombing, to attack troops in the Faryab area.
The marketplace bombing is a part of the Taliban’s annual offensive; however, while in previous years, the Taliban offensives had been concentrated on the South and East side of the country, the terror group has extended the attacks to the North this year.
Nicholas Haysom, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, condemns the attack as “an appalling disregard for human life,” in a statement by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
