US and Afghan soldiers seen at the site following a suicide attack in Afghanistan. -AP Photo

KABUL A suicide attack targeting an Afghan cabinet minister killed three civilians Friday but failed to harm the politician in the southwest of the war-torn country, an official said.

The attack on Mohammed Karim Brahawi occurred in Zaranj, capital of Nimroz province.

'Two suicide bombers armed with guns and hand grenades intended to target the refugees minister,' Nimroz governor Ghulam Dastagir Azad told AFP.

'The suicide bombers were recognised. One was shot dead in the street where the minister lives, while another escaped and exploded during the firing.

'Three civilians were killed and three were wounded in the blast,' he said.

No group claimed immediate responsibility, but the Taliban are waging a deadly insurgency against the Western-backed government in a bid to regain power eight years after they were toppled in a US-led invasion.

Opinion

Editorial

Border clashes
19 May, 2024

Border clashes

THE Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier has witnessed another series of flare-ups, this time in the Kurram tribal district...
Penalising the dutiful
19 May, 2024

Penalising the dutiful

DOES the government feel no remorse in burdening honest citizens with the cost of its own ineptitude? With the ...
Students in Kyrgyzstan
Updated 19 May, 2024

Students in Kyrgyzstan

The govt ought to take a direct approach comprising convincing communication with the students and Kyrgyz authorities.
Ominous demands
Updated 18 May, 2024

Ominous demands

The federal government needs to boost its revenues to reduce future borrowing and pay back its existing debt.
Property leaks
18 May, 2024

Property leaks

THE leaked Dubai property data reported on by media organisations around the world earlier this week seems to have...
Heat warnings
18 May, 2024

Heat warnings

STARTING next week, the country must brace for brutal heatwaves. The NDMA warns of severe conditions with...