Police in southern Afghanistan say a string of suicide attacks has killed at least three civilians and wounded 12 other people.
The deadliest attack occurred in the border town of Spin Boldak in Kandahar province. A border police commander, General Abdul Raziq Khan, says three civilians were killed and eight wounded when a bomber blew himself up in a crowd of people at a border checkpoint Tuesday.
Separately, suicide bombers killed themselves but no one else in two attacks in Lashkar Gah in southern Helmand province. Officials believe the first attack, which left two people wounded, was aimed at a passing NATO convoy. The second attack wounded two soldiers near an Afghan army compound.
Visiting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher told reporters in Kabul today that the Taleban insurgency in Afghanistan is under pressure from all sides, including Pakistan, NATO, the U.S. and the Afghan government. Last week, NATO forces began an offensive against Taleban insurgents in Helmand province, in anticipation of increasing attacks as the weather improves.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
