News / Afghanistan

Car bomb kills 6 soldiers in Afghanistan

Thursday, 26 December 2019 8:43 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 26 December 2019 1:02 PM ]

Afghan security forces arrive at the site of a car bombing near the largest US military in Afghanistan, north of Kabul, in Parwan Province, on December 11, 2019. (Photo by AFP)

At least six Afghan soldiers have been killed and three others wounded in a car bomb explosion in Afghanistan’s northern province of Balkh, the Afghan Defense Ministry says.

The ministry announced the incident in a brief statement posted on its Facebook account on Thursday.

No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the bombing.

But the Taliban militant group is active in parts of Balkh.

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The explosion occurred in the volatile district of Jaghatu on Friday evening.

Apart from detonating explosive-ridden vehicles, Taliban militants often plant roadside bombs and landmines to target Afghan and foreign forces. The deadly weapons also inflict heavy casualties on civilians.

The US invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 and overthrew a Taliban regime in power at the time. But US forces have remained bogged down there through the presidencies of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and now Donald Trump.

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The US is reportedly planning to announce withdrawal of over 4,000 troops from Afghanistan as early as next week.

Some 18 years on, Washington is seeking a truce with the militants, who now control or have influence in about half of Afghanistan’s territory.

Nearly 20,000 foreign troops, most of them Americans, are currently deployed in Afghanistan as part of a mission to purportedly train, assist, and advise Afghan security forces.

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