Afghan Election Candidate Killed in Bombing
KABUL (Press TV) – A bombing in southern Afghanistan has killed an Afghan candidate for the upcoming parliamentary elections in the war-torn country, with Taliban terrorists claiming responsibility for the deadly attack.
Legislative candidate Abdul Jabar Qahraman was killed in his campaign office in Helmand’s provincial capital, Lashargah, on Wednesday when a bomb planted under his chair detonated.
The bombing came just days before election day, on Saturday, killing him and wounding seven other people, said a senior provincial official.
Helmand governor’s spokesman Omar Zwak said an investigation had been launched.
Qahraman became the 10th electoral candidate assassinated so far in the past two months. Two other candidates have been kidnapped and four more have suffered injuries in attacks by militants in the country.
The Taliban militant group claimed responsibility for the bombing later in the day.
Twenty two people were also killed last week in a bombing that targeted an election rally in Afghanistan’s northeastern Takhar Province.
Taliban terrorists have called on the Afghans to boycott the long-delayed parliamentary elections across the country, vowing to disrupt the voting.
The militants, however, have also declared recently that they are about to resume talks with US officials in the Qatari capital of Doha.
US-based newspaper The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday that Washington’s special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad had reportedly met with Taliban representatives in Qatar, despite their persisting terror campaign across the country.
Local security officials regard the increased attacks by the militants as part of a strategy to establish a strong position to impose their demands if formal peace talks begin.
The US invaded Afghanistan in 2001, toppling a Taliban regime in control of most of the country at the time. The administration of US President Donald Trump is struggling to find a way out of the costly conflict as the Taliban have managed to partially reassert themselves in several provinces by taking control of certain areas.
Kabul blames the Taliban for the bulk of more than 8,000 deaths in Afghanistan since the start of 2018.
Legislative candidate Abdul Jabar Qahraman was killed in his campaign office in Helmand’s provincial capital, Lashargah, on Wednesday when a bomb planted under his chair detonated.
The bombing came just days before election day, on Saturday, killing him and wounding seven other people, said a senior provincial official.
Helmand governor’s spokesman Omar Zwak said an investigation had been launched.
Qahraman became the 10th electoral candidate assassinated so far in the past two months. Two other candidates have been kidnapped and four more have suffered injuries in attacks by militants in the country.
The Taliban militant group claimed responsibility for the bombing later in the day.
Twenty two people were also killed last week in a bombing that targeted an election rally in Afghanistan’s northeastern Takhar Province.
Taliban terrorists have called on the Afghans to boycott the long-delayed parliamentary elections across the country, vowing to disrupt the voting.
The militants, however, have also declared recently that they are about to resume talks with US officials in the Qatari capital of Doha.
US-based newspaper The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday that Washington’s special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad had reportedly met with Taliban representatives in Qatar, despite their persisting terror campaign across the country.
Local security officials regard the increased attacks by the militants as part of a strategy to establish a strong position to impose their demands if formal peace talks begin.
The US invaded Afghanistan in 2001, toppling a Taliban regime in control of most of the country at the time. The administration of US President Donald Trump is struggling to find a way out of the costly conflict as the Taliban have managed to partially reassert themselves in several provinces by taking control of certain areas.
Kabul blames the Taliban for the bulk of more than 8,000 deaths in Afghanistan since the start of 2018.