The Taliban has claimed responsibility for another deadly suicide car bombing in Afghanistan, a day after a series of terrorist blasts killed more than 50 in and near Kabul.
In a statement sent to VOA, the Taliban said it was behind Saturday's explosion in the Khanabad district of the northern Kunduz province. Afghan officials said Sunday that the death toll from the blast had risen to 29.
Most of the dead were members of a pro-government militia.
The Afghan capital is nervous and people are on edge after the worst outbreak of terrorism since the Taliban confirmed it is under new leadership after the death of founder Mullah Mohammad Omar.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for sending in three suicide bombers to attack Camp Integrity Friday, a U.S. special forces base near the main airport in Kabul.
Eight civilian military contractors and a U.S. serviceman were killed late Friday during an attack on Camp Integrity, a U.S. special forces base near the main airport in Kabul. The Pentagon identified the soldier on Sunday as Master Sgt. Peter McKenna.
Earlier Friday, a Taliban suicide bomber dressed in a police uniform blew himself up in a crowd of cadets at an Afghan police academy in Kabul. At least 27 were killed and more than 25 wounded.
But no one has yet claimed responsibility for Friday's truck bombing in a residential area of Kabul which killed at least 15 and wounded 240, mostly civilians.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said whoever was behind the truck bomb attack has gained nothing.
"The killing of civilians, especially women and children, shows the desperation and defeat of the enemies of Afghanistan by our national security forces," Ghani said.
U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice spoke by telephone with Ghani Saturday while President Barack Obama's Assistant for Homeland Security, Lisa Monaco, talked with Afghanistan's National Security Advisor Hanif Atmar.
Both expressed deepest condolences to the victims of what the White House calls "heinous" attacks and reaffirmed U.S. commitment to the Afghan government as it confronts terrorists.
The Taliban abruptly canceled a second round of peace talks with Afghanistan scheduled for earlier this month after the news of Mullah Omar's death.
Pakistan officials on Friday insisted the peace talks are ongoing and are only being paused temporarily.
New Taliban leader Mullah Ahktar Mansoor has not been clear on whether he is interested on continuing to hold peace talks with the Afghan government.
Mullah Mansour said recently that the Taliban will continue jihad to turn Afghanistan into an Islamic state. He said all decisions will be based on strict Islamic law, including the choice to keep fighting or hold talks.
