Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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May 20, 2007

Suicide Bombing in Eastern Afghanistan Kills 10
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=178BFFE:A6F02AD83191E160664423B4DC04C8D79574F7DCC14957C0 Bomber attacks
crowded market in Gardez





A damaged vehicle is seen after a suicide attack at a crowded market
in Gardez, 20 May 2007Authorities in Afghanistan say a suicide bomber
has killed at least 10 people and wounded nearly 35 others in the
eastern part of the country.

Interior Ministry officials say the attack occurred Sunday in a
crowded market in Gardez, in Paktia province.

Witnesses and officials say the bomber detonated his explosives as a
NATO convoy passed by. 

A NATO spokesman confirmed there were U.S.-led coalition troops in the
area at the time of the blast.  It is not clear if any soldiers were
hurt. Some witnesses say all of the victims were Afghan civilians.

Saturday, nine people, including three German NATO soldiers, were
killed in a similar suicide bombing in the northern city of Kunduz. 

The Taleban has claimed responsibility for both attacks.

In another development, officials in southern Ghazni province say
Afghan and NATO forces killed 30 Taleban fighters and detained about
10 others in a battle Sunday.

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer is due to meet with
President Bush Sunday and Monday at his ranch in Crawford, Texas.

There are currently 37-thousand troops serving in NATO's International
Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.  A separate U.S.-led
coalition has deployed some 26-thousand troops there, some of whom
operate under NATO command.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.


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