Afghanistan - unrest

Ten killed in suicide blast during Karzai inauguration

Article published on the 2009-11-19 Latest update 2010-01-07 12:18 TU

Hamid Karzai is sworn in 19 November
(Photo: Reuters)

A suicide bomber has killed 10 civilians in southern Afghanistan, the second attack on the same day President Hamid Karzai was sworn into office. The bombing in Uruzgan province followed a suicide attack in neighbouring Zabul, which killed two US soldiers.

"Ten civilians were killed and 13 others were injured," Uruzgan deputy police chief Mohammad Gulab Wardak told AFP.

The bomber was wearing an explosive-packed vest which he detonated near a convoy of Afghan security forces, he said.

Also Thursday, police said Afghan security forces backed by tribal militia killed six Taliban militants in fighting in south-western Farah province.

The attack on the Taliban was launched after the rebels beheaded two tribal leaders on the weekend, said provincial police chief, Faqir Mohammad Askar.

A US-led offensive in late 2001 pushed the Taliban regime from power in Afghanistan, but the Islamist insurgents are now waging a campaign of attacks as part of an expanding campaign to topple the new Western-backed government.

Karzai, in a wide-ranging speech following his inauguration in Kabul pledged to convene a "loya jirga" or grand assembly of tribal leaders to push for peace and reconcile some Taliban leaders.