Casualty Figures for Afghan Helmand Province Blast Updated

Jan 31, 05:34 AM

Kandahar, 31 January: Eight people have been killed, including a deputy governor, and an equal number have been wounded in a suicide attack [in southern Afghanistan]. Confirming the incident to Afghan Islamic Press [AIP], the security head of Helmand Province, Mohammad Faqir Askar, said a suicide bomber blew himself up during prayer in the Congregational Mosque of Lashkargah at 0100 local time at a time when the deputy governor of Helmand province, Haji Pir Mohammad, was also at prayer.

He added that eight people were killed including the deputy governor, Haji Pir Mohammad, and around eight others were wounded.

Apart from the deputy governor, he did not comment whether the dead and the wounded are the civilians or government officials.

Helmand Police Chief Gen Mohammad Hosayn Andiwal earlier confirmed the incident to AIP but did not give more detail.

Eyewitness in Lashkargah told AIP that the people were going for the prayer when they heard a heavy blast.

This was the second suicide attack in Afghanistan today. The first suicide attack took place in Kabul, killing a civilian and wounded three others.

Originally published by Afghan Islamic Press news agency, Peshawar, in Pashto 0915 31 Jan 08.

(c) 2008 BBC Monitoring Newsfile. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved. Casualty Figures for Afghan Helmand Province Blast Updated
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