Iran Condemns Deadly Suicide Attack on Afghan Military

TEHRAN (defapress) – Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi strongly condemned a deadly attack on a military compound in Afghanistan’s Maidan Wardak province that killed scores of Afghan troops.

News ID: 75122

Date: 22 January 2019 - 10:52

In a statement released on Tuesday, Qassemi offered his sympathies to the Afghan people and government and the bereaved families of victims of the deadly raid on the Afghan military compound.

The spokesman also deplored as unacceptable any move to resort to killing and violence and stressed the necessity for talks and a national consensus to reach peace and security in Afghanistan.

The Monday attack began after a vehicle loaded with explosives rammed into the entrance of a compound in Maidan Shahr -- the capital of Wardak province that lies about 30 miles south of the capital Kabul.

At least three gunmen stormed the base following the explosion, igniting a firefight with Afghan security forces. All three gunmen were later killed in the exchange, according to a provincial official.

"The Taliban used a Humvee vehicle to hit the compound," Akhtar Mohammad Taheri -- the head of Wardak provincial council -- told AFP. The Reuters news agency said local officials had put the death toll at 126, most of the victims being members of the Afghan security forces, but that devastating toll was not immediately confirmed by Afghan officials speaking on the record.

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