By DPA,
Kabul : Twenty people died and 50 were injured by three suicide bombers who attacked a road construction company in southeastern Afghanistan, an official said Monday.
The bombers shot their way into the firm’s compound in Bermal district of Paktika province Sunday night before detonating their explosive-laden truck, interior ministry spokesman Zamarai Bashary said.
“In this incident, 20 employees of the road construction company were killed and 50 others were injured,” he said, adding that all the victims were civilian labourers and guards protecting the compound.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement sent to media that said 21 Afghan and foreign troops were killed and 27 others were injured.
He said a bomber named Ali Ahmad detonated the truck loaded with four and half tonnes of explosives inside the compound.
Eastern Afghanistan has seen an intensified insurgent attacks in recent months following US-led military offensives against Taliban fighters in their traditional southern strongholds.
Most of the fighters operating in the east belong to Haqqani, an associated group of Taliban, which according to Afghan and US officials have bases inside the tribal areas of Pakistan.
Insurgents claimed to have taken hostage 50 Afghan policemen in the eastern province of Kunar on Sunday. Afghan officials confirmed having lost contact with up to 40 off-duty police personnel who were en route to their home town when they went missing.