PAN, June 6, 2015

Mortar shells killed wedding guests: Ghazni residents

Another resident, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said seven people were killed and 14 others wounded in the incident had been shifted to Kabul for treatment

By Saifullah Maftoon

Residents on Saturday disputed official claim that seven people, including women and children, were killed on Friday in a roadside bombing, saying the wedding guests fell prey to mortar shells fired by security forces in southern Ghazni province.

An official said on Friday the seven persons were killed and another six were injured in a landmine blast that struck a vehicle carrying wedding guests near the provincial capital, Ghazni City.

But Lal Mohammad, a resident of Naughi village, told Pajhwok Afghan News mortar shells fired by security forces caused the causalities.

“Guests had arrived to attend the wedding yesterday when one mortar shell fell near a house and another nearby it which killed at least seven people including women and children and wounded five others, he added.

Another resident, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said seven people were killed and 14 others wounded in the incident had been shifted to Kabul for treatment.

“Taliban militants also participated in the wedding function and the Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers fired mortar shells when the Taliban had left, killing civilians,” he said, adding most of the dead were school students.

Ghazni provincial council member Ismatullah confirmed the function was hit by mortar shells but he did not blame any group.

Baz Mohammad Himmat, the civil hospital head, told Pajhwok Afghan News five injured persons had been brought to the hospital and one of them had died of injuries.

Shafiq Nang, the provincial government spokesman, denied security forces had fired mortar shells and insisted on his previous account that the casualties had been caused by a landmine blast.

Ghulam Haider Naikpi, the 203rd military corps commander, refused to comment on the incident.

Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, said several civilians suffered casualties when security forces fired mortar shells at a wedding party.

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