Egypt denounced the two terrorist attacks, which targeted an Afghan army base in Ghazni province in eastern Afghanistan and a motorcade of a governmental official in Zabel province, resulting in the killing and injury of dozens of army forces personnel and civilians. In a statement Monday, the Foreign Ministry of Egypt confirmed its stance and solidarity with Afghanistan in this painful circumstances to combat the phenomenon of terror, violence and extremism in all its forms and manifestations, expressing sincere condolence to the government and people and families of the victims of the two terrorist operations and wishing the injured a speedy recovery. At least 31 security personnel were killed and around 24 others received injuries in a suicide car bomb attack targeting an army base in Afghanistan's eastern Ghazni province on Sunday, said officials. A spokesperson for provincial governor, Wahidullah Jumazada in a statement to media said that a suicide car bomber detonated his explosives close to a public protection unit in PD3 area of Ghazni city, the provincial capital of Ghazni. "The bomber drove a Humvee vehicle right inside the base and detonated it," said Jumazada. The head of the local health department, Zahirshah Nikmal confirmed that the death toll of the attack on the public protection unit has risen to 31, with 24 wounded, and the victims are mostly military personnel. Meanwhile, Baz Mohammad Hemat, director of Ghazni hospital said that "30 bodies and 24 wounded people have been brought to hospital. All of them are security personnel." Moreover, another suicide car bomb attack killed one civilian and wounded 20 others in Qalat city of Zabel province. Zabel provincial police chief, Hekmatullah Kochi confirmed that the attack targeted the vehicle of Zabel provincial council chief, Atta Jan Haqbayan, who was wounded in the attack. No group has so far claimed responsibility for both the attacks. The attacks came weeks after United States acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller announced that the US troop presence in Afghanistan and Iraq will be reduced to 2,500 in each country by mid-January. The announcement comes in contrast to intra-Afghan talks under way between the delegation representing the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban. But the peace negotiations in Doha have stalled over differences on ground rules for the talks. — Agencies
