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Friday March 29, 2024

At least six dead in suicide blast at Afghan wedding

"All the villagers were gathered for a wedding ceremony," said witness Saleem Jan, who was himself a guest and who was wounded in the blast.

By AFP
July 12, 2019

JALALABAD, Afghanistan: At least six people were killed and 14 wounded Friday when a suicide bomber attacked a wedding ceremony in eastern Afghanistan, an official told AFP.

Daesh group´s Afghanistan affiliate later claimed responsibility for the bombing.

"This morning at 8:00 am (0330 GMT), a suicide bomber detonated himself at a wedding ceremony ... in Pachiragam district," Attaullah Khogyani, the Nangarhar governor´s spokesman, told AFP.

He said six people had been killed and 14 wounded, a change from an earlier toll of five dead and 40 wounded.

"All the villagers were gathered for a wedding ceremony," said witness Saleem Jan, who was himself a guest and who was wounded in the blast.

Speaking to AFP from hospital, he described confusion as the bomb exploded and people began running.

"I didn´t know what happened," he said. "When I turned my face I saw dozens of people were wounded, lying on the ground."

Nangarhar regional hospital spokesman Zahir Adil told AFP that two bodies and 11 injured victims had been taken to the hospital in central Nangarhar city.