JALALABAD, Afghanistan, July 30 (Xinhua) -- An Afghan local leader was killed in a roadside bomb blast in eastern Nangarhar province on Sunday, the latest in a string of targeted attacks, a provincial government spokesman said.
"Malik Shirin Aqa was martyred after his vehicle was hit by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) along a road in Khogyani district around 07:30 a.m. local time Sunday," Attahullah Khogyani told Xinhua.
Two other people aboard the vehicle were injured. They were shifted to a hospital where one of the wounded remained in critical condition, he said.
Civilians considered to be supporting government, civilian government employees, religious leaders, tribal elders and persons involved in peace and reconciliation efforts came under attack in targeted killings over the past years in the militancy-hit country.
Afghan civilians continue to bear the brunt of armed conflicts as more than 1,660 civilians were killed and over 3,580 others injured in conflict-related incidents in first half of the year, according to figures released by the United Nations mission in the country.
