Afghanistan hospital attack deaths rise to 39, with 140 wounded: Afghan official

Only two of those killed were security force members, the rest of them civilians

KABUL: A Taliban suicide bombing of a hospital in southern Afghanistan killed 39 people, almost doubling the previous death toll of 20, a provincial governor spokesperson said on Friday.

The number of wounded in Thursday’s attack in Qalat, the capital of Zabul province, also rose to 140, said Gul Islam Syaal.

“Only two of those killed were security force members, and the rest of them are civilians, including women, children, patients and visitors,” he said. “The hospital is completely destroyed.”