20 Afghan civilians killed, 30 wounded

KABUL: A new wave of violence in five provinces over the last 24 hours killed at least 20 civilians and wounded 34 others.

One of the incidents was a magnetic IED blast that targeted a bus carrying lecturers and employees of Alberoni University in Parwan province on Saturday evening. Maiwand Frooq Nijrabi, a medicine faculty lecturer at the university, was among those killed in the incident along with three of his colleagues.17 more people were reportedly wounded in the incident.

Two civilians were killed and one more was wounded in an explosion in Shirzad district in Nangarhar on Sunday evening. Meanwhile, in Tagab district in Kapisa province, at least 10 civilians were killed when a mortar landed on a home where a wedding ceremony was underway. Sources said 15 more people were wounded in the incident. The village where the incident happened was near a frontline battle where government forces and Taliban were exchanging fire. Kapisa police confirmed the incident and said six people were killed and that the mortar “was fired by the Taliban.” The Taliban has rejected this claim. “The increase in violence will challenge our approach to peace and will complicate the way to peace,” said Mir Haidar Afzali, an MP from KapisaReports by officials and other sources indicate that 12 security force members were killed and six more were wounded in clashes in Helmand, Herat, Badghis and Paktia provinces.