34 Dead, 58 Injured in Taliban Car Bomb in Afghanistan

Afghan security forces stand guard after an attack on the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul. Image used for representation. (Photo: AP)

At least 34 people were killed on Thursday when a Taliban car bomb struck a bank in Afghanistan's Lashkar Gah city as people were queuing to collect their pay, officials said.

This is the latest bloody attack during the holy month of Ramzan.

Dozens of wounded people were rushed to hospital on makeshift stretchers after the bombing at New Kabul Bank. The blast upturned vehicles, left behind charred debris and plumed smoke into the sky.

The attack comes as the Taliban ramp up their nationwide spring offensive despite government calls for a ceasefire during Ramadan and as the US appears set to boost its troop presence in the country.

The bomb tore through a queue of civilians and government employees who had lined up outside the bank to collect their salaries ahead of the Eid holidays marking the end of Ramadan.

At least 34 people had been killed and more than 60 wounded, including members of the police and army, civilians and staff of the New Kabul Bank branch where the suicide attack took place.

Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor

The Taliban, on one of its Twitter accounts, claimed responsibility for the blast, which it said had killed 73 members of the security forces and wounded 44.

This was the third attack on this bank since 2014, with the Taliban claiming their target was Afghan soldiers and police on their way to draw salaries. But the government said most of the victims were civilians, including women and children.

Last month, at least three people were killed and many wounded in an attack on a bank in the eastern city of Gardez.

(with inputs from PTI and Reuters)

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