Children killed in Afghan attack

28/12/2008| IslamWeb

Sixteen people, mostly children, have been killed after a suicide car bomber attacked a district government office in Afghanistan's eastern Khost province, Nato forces say.

 

Afghan police said the bomber was targeting a meeting of local leaders on Sunday, called to discuss security and next year's elections.

 

The bomber reportedly detonated his explosives when police began to fire on the vehicle.

 

An Afghan primary school was located near the attacked government office in the district of Ismail Khail.

 

"Fourteen children were amongst those killed, and one was an Afghan National Army soldier," Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) said in a statement.

 

Abdul Rahman, a doctor at a hospital near the blast, said the children were between the ages of eight and 10.

 

PHOTO CAPTION

 

A wounded Afghan boy receives treatment at a hospital after a suicide attack in Khost province December 28, 2008.

 

Al-Jazeera