Afghan Officials Seize Truck With 16 Tonnes Of Explosives

The truck, with Pakistani license plates, was
seized in District 9 of the capital, the
National Directorate of Security said in a
statement, adding that five people were
arrested.



Afghan intelligence officials said Sunday
they seized a truck in Kabul carrying more
than 16 tonnes of explosives hidden in
boxes marked as poultry feed, months after
a truck bomb killed about 150 people.



The truck, with Pakistani license plates, was
seized in District 9 of the capital, the
National Directorate of Security said in a
statement, adding that five people were
arrested.



“It was loaded with explosives to make
bombs, suicide vests and conduct terrorist
activities in Kabul,” the statement said,
adding that 16,500 kg of explosives was
seized.


On May 31 a massive truck bomb ripped
through the Afghan capital’s diplomatic
quarter during the morning rush hour,
killing about 150 and wounding around
400 people, mostly civilians.



No group claimed responsibility for the
attack that was caused by over 1,500 kg of
explosives hidden in a sewage truck,
according to Western officials.



Taliban militants rarely claim responsibility
for attacks that kill large numbers of
civilians.


The militants have intensified their attacks
since they launched their “spring offensive”
in late April, with civilians bearing the brunt
of the conflict.


According to UN figures, more than 26,500
civilians have died and nearly 49,000 have
been injured as a result of armed conflict in
Afghanistan since January 2009.