Afghan police soldiers maintain security during a visit to Sangin district by Helmand's governor. File picA car bombing and mortar shells fired at a busy market in Afghanistan have killed 23 people, including children, officials say.
Both the Taliban and the Afghan military blamed each other for the attack in Sangin district of Helmand province, in the country's south. The area is under Taliban control, meaning it is remote and inaccessible to reporters and that details of the reported attack could not be independently confirmed. There was no claim of responsibility for the attack and a statement announcing the news from the office of the governor, Gen Mohammad Yasin, did not provide further details.He claimed the military fired mortars into the market, while the military said a car bomb and mortar shells fired by the insurgents targeted the civilians.
The army added that there was no military activity in the area on Monday and that two Taliban fighters were also killed when the car bomb detonated at the marketplace.