At least 29 people were killed and more than 60 were injured when a car bomb exploded outside a bank in Lashkar Gah, the capital of the southern Afghanistan province of Helmand on Thursday, Governor Hayatullah Hayat told The Washington Post. Among those dead were civilians and security forces waiting to collect their salaries, according to Reuters.
Helmand police spokesman Salam Afghan said that the bomber had donated his explosives at the gate of the new Kabul Bank branch, reported BBC. The blast took place around 12 noon local time (1.30 pm Indian Standard Time), Al Jazeera quoted Omar Zwak, spokesperson for the Helmand governor, as saying.
No group has taken responsibility for the attack so far, though the Islamic State and Taliban have carried out attacks near banks in the past, where security forces, police and government officials collect their pay.
On Sunday, Taliban suicide bombers targeted the police headquarters in Gardez city, killing several people and injuring many others. In May, at least three people were killed and many wounded in an attack on a bank in the same city.
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