At least eight Afghan soldiers were killed as a car bomb went off next to a military base in Shirzad district of Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province on Saturday, Xinhua reported, citing a statement of provincial government .
“The terrorists detonated an explosive-laden military vehicle in Gandumak area of Shirzad district today morning killing eight soldiers,” the statement said.
The statement further noted that the security forces also captured another explosive-laden vehicle from the same district that the militants were attempting to detonate in Nangarhar provincial capital Jalalabad.
In the meantime, a Taliban outfit has claimed responsibility for the blast in Shirzad district.
Zabihullah Mujahid, who claims to speak for the Taliban group, in a statement sent to media said, “A suicide bomber named Mullah Mohammad Yusuf Kandahari blew himself up along with his explosive-borne vehicle in Shirzad district at 05:30 a.m. local time, killing and injuring 50 soldiers besides destroying the military base.”
