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KABUL—A suicide bomb attack hit a crowd attending a sports event in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, killing dozens of spectators, according to Afghan officials.
Attaullah Fazly, the deputy governor of Paktika province, said that the attack took place at a volleyball tournament in the province’s Yahyakhil district. Estimates of the death toll Sunday night ranged between 45 and 60. Abdul Mobin, a Paktika provincial council member, said 12 people died after being taken to the hospital.
“The number of casualties may go higher,” Mr. Fazly said. “The injured are being taken to the provincial capital.” He said helicopters were requested to fly some of the wounded to Kabul.
According to Mr. Fazly, the volleyball match was held in a playground and was attended by members of the Afghan Local Police, village self-defense units established with U.S. backing.
The Afghan Local Police—many of whom have been trained by U.S. special-operations troops—have been on the front lines of fighting against Taliban insurgents, often taking heavy casualties.
“I visited the hospital—55 wounded people were transferred to the provincial hospital from Yahyakhil,” said Mr. Mobin. “Today was the final day of the tournament and the playground was very crowded.”
Attacks of such magnitude are relatively rare in Afghanistan. Taliban suicide bombers routinely target government troops and installations, but haven’t claimed credit for mass attacks on cultural and sporting events in the past.
In July, a suicide attacker set off a car bomb [URL="http://online.wsj.com/articles/car-bomb-kills-scores-in-crowded-market-in-afghanistan-1405428475"]in a crowded market [/URL]in Urgun, another district in Paktika. That attack claimed the lives of scores of people, and the government blamed the Taliban.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Sunday’s attack. A Taliban spokesman didn’t respond requests to comment.
The suicide bombing came a day after the White House outlined grounds for U.S. military action against the Taliban in Afghanistan after the end of this year. It authorized U.S. military forces to take action against Taliban militants under certain circumstances. The U.S. won’t target Taliban members just because they are affiliated with the group. But Taliban members who threaten U.S. forces or are found to be working with al Qaeda could be targeted, the senior administration official said.
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[url]http://online.wsj.com/articles/attack-kills-dozens-at-afghan-volleyball-match-1416796029?tesla=y&mg=reno64-wsj[/url]
In my mind i picture a bunch of people playing volleyball with an active c4, and the side to miss a hit would blow up. I'm not sure why.
If i lived there I wouldn't be able to go out and do anything.
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