Afghan bombings kill 78 in 24 hrs
A bombing in Afghanistan Wednesday took the toll from just over 24
hours of bloodshed to 78 dead as officials blamed Pakistanis for the
worst attack, accusing them of trying to whip up Iraq-style sectarian
violence.
Nineteen civilians, including seven women and five children, were
killed by a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan's troubled Helmand
province on Wednesday, underscoring enduring instability after 10 years
of war. That came as funerals took place for 59 people killed in
unprecedented bombings against Shiite Muslims in Kabul and
Mazar-i-Sharif a day earlier, which Afghan officials blamed on Pakistani
militants.
They accused the militants of trying to further destabilise
Afghanistan with sectarian violence in a country already wracked by a
decade of conflict between foreign and government troops and Taliban-led
insurgents.
Giving details of the Helmand bombing, provincial security force
commander Mohammad Ismail said 19 people, including seven women and five
children were killed. The women were all from the same family. AFP
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