Deadly explosions target police in Afghan capital

A district police chief and his bodyguard have been killed after a chain of bomb blasts targeted officers in the Afghan capital Kabul.

No-one immediately claimed responsibility for the explosions, which were all caused by so-called sticky bombs – devices attached to vehicles which are remotely detonated or set off by timers.

At least five other people were injured in the attacks.

The largest of the attacks struck a police car in a western Kabul neighbourhood.

The force of the blast was so strong that the car flipped upside down, killing the city’s District 5 police chief, Mohammadzai Kochi, and his bodyguard. The driver of the car was wounded.

Kabul police spokesman Ferdaws Faramarz said an hour before that blast, two other sticky bomb explosions took place.

Afghanistan has seen a nationwide spike in bombings, targeted killings, and violence on the battlefield as peace negotiations in Qatar between the Taliban and the Afghan government have stalled.

The so-called Islamic State group’s local affiliate has claimed responsibility for some of the attacks, but many go unclaimed, with the government putting the blame on the Taliban.

The insurgents have denied responsibility for most of the attacks.

In eastern Ghazni province, the provincial governor’s spokesman, Wahidullah Jumazada, said an air strike called in during fighting with the Taliban killed at least 22 insurgents, including foreign fighters in the group.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid immediately tweeted a denial, saying Afghan government forces were defeated in the fighting in Ghazni.

He also claimed the Taliban have no foreign fighters in their ranks.