Suicide Bomber at Afghan Volleyball Game Kills 50

Motorcycle Bomber Detonated in Middle of Crowd

50 Afghans were reported killed today and around 60 others wounded when a suicide bomber on a motorcycle drove into the middle of a crowd at a volleyball game and detonated.

The attack took place in the Paktika Province, at the regional volleyball finals. Provincial government officials were said to have been in attendance, though indications are that all of the slain were civilians.

There has been no claim of responsibility, and with Paktika along the border with Pakistan several militant factions from both countries are active in the area, and thus potential culprits.

The attack is one of the deadliest single suicide bombings in Afghan in months. The death toll could still rise, as many of the wounded are in bad condition and not expected to survive.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.