KABUL —
Three Turkish construction workers were killed on Monday when a suicide bomber blew himself up near a police building in east Afghanistan and three policemen were killed in an attack in the south, officials said.
The violence is part of the Taliban summer offensive, which was launched in mid-May.
Taliban insurgents intent on disrupting a June 14 run-off in the Afghan presidential election have begun recruiting fighters from radical Islamic schools, and ramped up their campaign of violence, officials and sources say.
The number of weekly attacks rose by around 10 percent to more than 350 incidents, including suicide attacks, gun-battles and roadside bombs, in the final week of May, according to a Western security firm.
In the eastern province of Nangarhar, a suicide bomber killed three Turks and injured two other people including a child, police said.
“Turkish engineers were entering the facility by car when the rickshaw loaded with explosives blew up,” said provincial police chief Fazel Ahmad Shirzad.
The Taliban did not immediately claim responsibility but said it was looking into the incident.
In southern Helmand province, a district governor said his compound was attacked by Taliban suicide bombers and gunmen. The Taliban confirmed they had carried out the attack.
“Three Taliban armed with light and heavy weapons attacked our offices in Greshk city this morning,” said Greshk district governor Mohammad Akbar.
As a result, three policemen were killed and three were wounded.
The violence is part of the Taliban summer offensive, which was launched in mid-May.
Taliban insurgents intent on disrupting a June 14 run-off in the Afghan presidential election have begun recruiting fighters from radical Islamic schools, and ramped up their campaign of violence, officials and sources say.
The number of weekly attacks rose by around 10 percent to more than 350 incidents, including suicide attacks, gun-battles and roadside bombs, in the final week of May, according to a Western security firm.
In the eastern province of Nangarhar, a suicide bomber killed three Turks and injured two other people including a child, police said.
“Turkish engineers were entering the facility by car when the rickshaw loaded with explosives blew up,” said provincial police chief Fazel Ahmad Shirzad.
The Taliban did not immediately claim responsibility but said it was looking into the incident.
In southern Helmand province, a district governor said his compound was attacked by Taliban suicide bombers and gunmen. The Taliban confirmed they had carried out the attack.
“Three Taliban armed with light and heavy weapons attacked our offices in Greshk city this morning,” said Greshk district governor Mohammad Akbar.
As a result, three policemen were killed and three were wounded.
