KABUL, July 21 (Xinhua) -- At least 30 people, including two women, have been killed and 17 people wounded in separate incidents of violence in Afghanistan since late Monday, authorities said Tuesday.
One staff of a local logistic group was killed and another wounded after an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detonated on doorstep of the firm in Pul-e-Khumri, capital of northern Baghlan province early Tuesday, Nazir Najm from provincial government, told Xinhua, adding the firm's building and a nearby local Radio station's building were damaged in the blast.
The explosion in Baghlan followed by a shooting attack, in southern Kandahar province when a taxi driver, who used to deliver foodstuff and items to Shah Wali Kot district's police station, was shot dead by gunmen, Jamal Barakzai from provincial police told Xinhua.
The victim was driving along a dusty road before being shot and the taxi stopped at a farming land in Shah Wali Kot.
The officials blamed Taliban for the attacks. The Taliban militants have warned local contractors to stop providing service to government and NATO-led troops.
In a separate incident, one civilian died after his motorcycle touched off an IED in Sah Wali Kot roughly at the same time, according to Barakzai.
Also on Tuesday morning, four people riding two motorbikes, including two women, were killed in two separate IED explosions in Nahri Saraaj district of southern Helmand province, Mohammad Zaman Hamdard from provincial police told Xinhua.
Four militants were killed and two others wounded after Afghan army soldiers repulsed two Taliban attacks in Helmand's Nahri Saraaj and neighboring Nawa districts on Monday night, the army's 215 Maiwand Corps confirmed, adding the army bomb disposal teams found and defused 10 rounds of IEDs in Helmand on Monday.
In addition, personnel of National Directorate of Security (NDS) arrested two members of Taliban's Al Hajj network in Helmand and confiscated an AK47 gun, four magazines and an ammunition belt, a source from NDS, the country national intelligence agency, confirmed.
In western Badghis province, five police officers were killed after Taliban militants attacked an under-construction security checkpoint in Qadis district. Several Taliban militants were also killed and wounded during the fighting, deputy provincial police chief, Shir Aqa Alokozai, told Xinhua.
Furthermore, eight army soldiers were killed and nine others wounded after Taliban conducted a suicide truck bombing in eastern Wardak province late Monday, according to the Defense Ministry.
In neighboring Paktika province, seven Taliban militants were killed and four others wounded during clashes at a security checkpoint in Urgun district on Monday night, Aimal Muhmand from army's 203 Thunder Corps told Xinhua.
The army soldiers were not harmed in the fighting and they found a mortar and a heavy gun after the clashes.
Since the signing of a Taliban and United States peace agreement in late February, Afghan leaders have frequently demanded the Taliban to reduce violence.
The militants, however, have intensified attacks, killing and injuring scores of combatants and civilians.
