Twin blasts injure 23 in north Afghanistan

The explosions occurred in quick succession at the same site in the northern Baghlan province of Afghanistan, provincial officials said.u00a0

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There were no casualties when the first explosion hit the Baghlan-i-Markazi area but when security officials came to the site to investigate the incident, a second blast occurred injuring 23 people.u00a0

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"A total of 23 people were wounded -- eight are policemen and fifteen are civilians," said Gen Assadullah Sherzad provincial police chief of the Baghlan province.u00a0

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A police official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the subject said the target of the attack was the provincial director of counter terrorism and director of criminal investigation department of Baghlan and both were among the injured.u00a0

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There was no immediate claim of responsibility by Taliban or any other insurgent groups active in the area.u00a0

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In another report, a statement from the Afghan Interior Ministry said today that 17 armed insurgents had been killed over the last 24 hours in joint Afghan and coalition operations.u00a0

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It said two insurgents were wounded and 10 others were captured, and joint Afghan and international forces discovered and confiscated light and heavy weapons in the operation, the statement added.

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