Four British officials injured in car bombing in Afghanistan
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- A car laden with explosives rammed into a vehicle carrying British officials yesterday in southern Afghanistan, wounding four of them, a military commander said. The attack was thought to be a suicide bombing by Taliban forces.
The assault, which occurred three weeks after landmark legislative elections, added to fears that insurgents are copying tactics used in Iraq.
The four Britons were traveling in an armored vehicle in Kandahar, a former stronghold of the Taliban, when they were attacked by a bomber in a car described as a
Kandahar's governor, Asadullah Khalid, said the four were customs officials from London who were touring the region ahead of the launch of a project sponsored by the British government.
Two of the officials were in serious condition; the other two were lightly wounded, Khalid said. The attacker's remains were recovered and he appeared to be Afghan, Khalid said, adding: ''We have an intelligence report that the attacker was a member of the Taliban."
It was the third reported suicide attack in Afghanistan in two weeks. The deadliest occurred late last month, in a bombing that killed nine people outside an army training center in the capital, Kabul.
This year has been the deadliest yet for the 19,000 US soldiers based in Afghanistan; 84 have been killed. On Saturday, the military announced that 200 US service members have been killed in and around Afghanistan since the Taliban were ousted four years ago.
