Afghan market blast kills 15

Fri Nov 20 2009 10:50:45

A suicide bombing at a market in south-west Afghanistan has killed at least 15 people, including one senior police official.

Local authorities say the attack in Farah City in Farah, a mainly desert province on the border with Iran, was carried out by a man on a motorcycle.

Police Chief Faqir Mohammad Askar said he believed the police official was the intended target.

Abdul Jabar Shayeq, head of the city's main hospital, confirmed that 15 people had died and 31 were wounded.

A press officer for the Nato-led force in Afghanistan said Western troops were aware of the strike but had not been involved and could give no details.

The attack in Farah came one day after Hamid Karzai was sworn in as Afghanistan's president, pledging to take control of security before his five-year term ends.

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