Suicide bomber kills 5 in northern Afghanistan

KABUL: At least five people, including three civilians, were killed late Thursday when a suicide bomber struck in northern Afghanistan, police said.

The attack in Kunduz city was the latest in a wave of violence recently that has left dozens of Afghan civilians as well as Afghan and foreign security forces dead or injured.

"I confirm that three civilians and two policemen were martyred in a suicide attack in Kunduz city this evening," interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi told AFP, adding that five other civilians were also injured in the blast.

It was not immediately clear who the target of the attacker was, but a local official speaking on condition of anonymity said the head of the provincial rapid reaction force commander Abdullah Guard was among those injured in the blast.

With the traditional fighting season now underway in Afghanistan, considerable violence is taking place in the east and south along the country's porous border with Pakistan where the Taliban retain safe havens.

But insurgents have also been targeting Afghan and foreign forces in the relatively peaceful northern parts of the country.

On April 4 a suicide bomber struck foreign military forces in northern Faryab, killing at least 12 people including three international troops.