...a major Moslem holiday, marked by animal sacrifice and ritual rioting...
The suspected boom-mobile went off in the central Azadi (Liberty) Square in the lovely provincial capital, Pol-e-Alam, which was packed with people shopping for Eid celebrations, according to local officials and eyewitnesses.
The Interior Ministry said in a statement that all the victims were civilians, with women and kiddies among the dead.
However,
a poor excuse is better than no excuse at all...
provincial police front man Shahpoor Ahmadzai said the attack targeted a police checkpoint and that there were security forces among the victims.
According to Ahmadzai, government forces had gathered in the city to prepare for security measures ahead of the Eid celebrations.
He said the civilian casualties were mainly in cars that had stopped at a checkpoint.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. The Taliban
...Arabic for students...
denied involvement.
The Afghan government and the Taliban have agreed on a three-day ceasefire starting on July 31, the first day of Eid in Afghanistan.
The cease-fire is slated to last for the duration of the festival, which marks the end of the annual hajj pilgrimage.