'Afghan Blast Kills 25, Half Of Them Children', The Associated Press, 9 July 2009
EXCERPT: "A truck filled with explosives that police believe may have been destined for Kabul blew up on a highway Thursday, killing 25 people — more than half of them children walking to school. Two American soldiers died in combat as the U.S. military reported the number of roadside bombs in Afghanistan last month was nearly three times the figure for Iraq. The attacks served as a grim reminder that the bloody conflict is widening, even as thousands of U.S. troops are being sent to Afghanistan to try to turn the tide against the Taliban-led insurgency, which has made a comeback after the Islamic extremist movement was ousted from power in 2001. The blast occurred about 7 a.m. as police were trying to clear a traffic jam on a highway in Logar province after the truck, which was loaded with timber, had overturned the night before. Suddenly, explosives hidden beneath the timber detonated, killing 21 civilians and four policemen, Interior Ministry spokesman Zemerai Bashary said."
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See also:
'Factbox: Security developments in Afghanistan, July 9', Reuters, 9 July 2009
'Taliban attack leaves 2 police dead, 2 wounded in north Afghanistan', China View, 9 July 2009
'Afghanistan: Up to 27 killed in fighting', The New York Times, 8 July 2009
Related posts:
'The Taliban's winning strategy in Afghanistan', 7 July 2009
'Afghan insurgent violence accelerates in 2009', 12 June 2009
'US surge "will lead to spike in conflict"', 29 May 2009
'Taliban threatens spring offensive', 29 April 2009
'NATO figures show surge in violence', 31 January 2009
