KABUL: A 13-year-old suicide bomber blew himself up at a wedding on Friday in eastern Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, killing five people and injuring 11 others, police officials said.
Among those killed was Malik Toor, a commander of a pro-government militia who had organized the wedding, police official Fayz Mohammed Babarkhil said.
Officials said Toor was the likely target of the attack, which took place in Pachirwa Agham district of Nangarhar province.
No one took responsibility for the bombing, but the Taliban said it was not involved in the wedding explosion, according to a statement posted on its official website.
Both the Taliban and the Daesh affiliate have a strong presence in eastern Afghanistan, and Daesh is headquartered in Nangarhar province.
“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.
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 said two bodies and 11 wounded victims had been taken to the hospital in central Nangarhar city.
Child suicide bomber kills 5 at Afghan wedding
Child suicide bomber kills 5 at Afghan wedding
- Suicide bomber set off explosives inside the house of a pro-government militia commander in Pacheragam district
- No group has claimed responsibility for the wedding party attack
