- Title: Afghanistan highway blast kills at least 35 on bus, injures 27
- Date: 31st July 2019
- Summary: HERAT, AFGHANISTAN (JULY 31, 2019) (REUTERS) AMBULANCES ARRIVING AT THE ENTRANCE OF HERAT HOSPITAL / AMBULANCES HOSPITAL STAFF HELPING WOUNDED INTO HOSPITAL AS MEDICS AND VICTIMS' RELATIVES GATHER AROUND HOSPITAL STAFF WHEELING WOUNDED PERSON ON STRETCHER WOUNDED LYING IN HOSPITAL BEDS, MEDICS ATTENDING TO THEM (SOUNDBITE) (Dari) HOSPITAL DOCTOR, IBRAHIM MOHAMMADI, SAYING: "Based on our information, 34 of our compatriots were martyred in this incident and 17 others were wounded." VARIOUS OF A WOUNDED MAN LYING IN HOSPITAL BED WITH BANDAGED HEAD AND HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (Dari) EWAZ WHO ESCAPED UNHURT FROM THE BUS BLAST; SAYING: "We were heading to Kabul from Herat when our vehicle was hit by a landmine. I saw many people martyred and injured." MEDICS AND VICTIMS' RELATIVES GATHERING AT HOSPITAL COMPOUND VARIOUS OF WOUNDED LYING IN BED BANDAGED MAN SITTING UP IN BED DOCTORS ATTENDING TO A WOUNDED MAN WOUNDED AND MEDICS EXTERIOR OF HERAT 650 BED REGIONAL HOSPITAL
- Embargoed: 14th August 2019 10:05
- Keywords: Afghanistan bomb blast 35 killed security Taliban Islamic State Herat Hospital
- Location: HERAT, AFGHANISTAN
- City: HERAT, AFGHANISTAN
- Country: Afghanistan
- Topics: Bombing (non-military),Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001AQ3XS93
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A roadside bomb in western Afghanistan killed at least 35 people travelling on a bus, including children, and injured 27 others, officials said on Wednesday (July 31).
Security has been deteriorating across Afghanistan, with the Taliban and Islamic State fighters mounting near-daily attacks on Afghan forces, government employees and civilians.
A police spokesperson said most of the dead or injured in the blast, on the highway linking the provincial capitals of Herat and Kandahar, were women and children.
A Taliban official said their fighters were not responsible for planting landmines in the area. So far, no militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Wednesday's blast came ahead of U.S. officials and Taliban representatives resuming peace talks to agree on a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign forces in exchange for security guarantees by the Taliban.
(Production: Jalil Ahmad, Hameed Farzad, Sayed Hassib) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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