Suicide attack kills intelligence agent in Afghanistan (Roundup)

Feb 24, 2011, 11:04 GMT

Kabul - An intelligence agent was killed and at least two dozen people were injured in a suicide attack in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar on Thursday, officials said.

Afghan security forces identified the bomber and attempted to stop him as he was driving into Spin Boldak district's main market, said Abdul Razeq, a border police commander.

The bomber detonated his explosive-laden vehicle when he was surrounded by security personnel and bystanders, killing one intelligence agent and wounding at least 24 others, he said.

Zamarai Bashary, spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said earlier that the blast injured 20 civilians and five security personnel in the restive town, which is located close to the Pakistani border.

Taliban militants have ramped up their assaults across Afghanistan as temperatures rise. More than 100 people - mostly civilians - have been killed in a wave of suicide attacks in the past two weeks.

Five suicide bombers targeted police headquarters in Kandahar city earlier this month, killing at least 20 people.

The Defence Ministry said Thursday that its troops backed by coalition forces killed seven suspected Taliban fighters in Gireshk district of the neighbouring province of Helmand.

There were no casualties among the combined forces in the gunbattle on Wednesday, the ministry statement said.

Kandahar and Helmand are the traditional power base for Taliban militants, who were forced from several populated areas there in a major NATO-led operation late last year.

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