Afghanistan: Taliban kill 71 people in attacks

KABUL – 17 October 2017: Afghanistan's deputy interior minister said the Taliban have killed 71 people in attacks in Ghazni and Paktia province, ABC news reported on Tuesday.

The official, Murad Ali Murad, told a press conference in Kabul that the attacks on Tuesday were the "biggest terrorist attack this year."

He said in one of the attacks, in southern Paktia province, 41 people — 21 policemen and 20 civilians — were killed when the Taliban targeted a police compound in the provincial capital of Gardez with two suicide car bombs. Scores were also wounded — 48 policemen and 110.

The provincial police chief was among those killed in the Paktia attack.

Murad said that in the attack in Andar district in Ghazni province, 25 policemen were killed and also five civilians. At least 15 people were wounded, including 10 policemen.

Despite the staggering numbers, Murad said Afghan forces are confident in their "readiness to fight terrorists and eliminate them from Afghanistan.