MAIMANA, Afghanistan, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- A rickshaw bomb, allegedly planted by Taliban militants, left five civilians dead and injured 25 others in the northern Faryab province on Monday, while 34 police have gone missing.
"Taliban terrorists placed an explosive device in a Rickshaw and detonated it by remote control in the bazaar of Andkhoi district at around 11:30 a.m. local time (0700 GMT), killing five innocent civilians and injuring 25 others," district governor Sultan Sanjar told Xinhua.
Mohammad Qul, an anti-Taliban elder and pro-government chieftain who was apparently target of the attack, sustained injuries in the blast, he added.
The governor identified Taliban local commander Qari Ahmadullah as the planner of the deadly attack.
Taliban militants, who are active in parts of Faryab province and captured Ghormach district of the province early Sunday, are yet to claim responsibility for the bombing.
Meanwhile, the police chief of Ghormach district who escaped a Taliban attack on Sunday, has gone missing along with 34 of his personnel.
"Police chief of Ghormatch district Abdul Majid Galimbaf, along with 34 police personnel of the district, are missing since Sunday and apparently captured by Taliban rebels," head of Faryab Provincial Council Sayed Abdul Baqi Hashimi told reporters.
Nevertheless, security officials in the district said the police have retreated to regroup and launch counter-offensive to retake the isolated and mountainous district.
The Interior Ministry have yet to make any comment on the situation in Ghormach district.
Meantime, a lawmaker from Faryab province Naqibullah Faiq accused the government of negligence in Ghormach, saying the mountainous district was under Taliban threat over the past several months and the forces stationed there were not enough to cope with the fragile situation.
Taliban militants, who have captured a few districts over the past couple of months, have been attempting to gain more grounds ahead of the onset of harsh winter in the mountainous country.
