7 killed in 2 separate bomb attacks in Afghanistan

KABUL, March 17 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people, including a senior Police officer, have been killed and three others wounded in two separate bomb attacks in AFGHANISTAN, authorities said on Sunday.

In one incident in southern Kandahar province, Police chief Hajji Zamari, head of provincial Public Protection Police Force department, was killed along with three civilians following an improvised explosive device (IED) attack in Arghandab district late Saturday.

"The IED was planted at the gate of Zamari's garden. Upon arrival of the Police chief Zamari and his guests, the device was detonated, leaving four killed on the spot. Those among the killed was a local tribal leader named Hajji Shah Wali," provincial Police chief Tadeen Khan told Xinhua.

In eastern Ghazni province, three Afghan National Army soldiers were killed and three others wounded after an IED targeted an army vehicle in Qala-e-Qazi locality on outskirts of provincial capital Ghazni on Saturday evening, provincial government spokesman Harif Noorim told Xinhua.

The army vehicle was destroyed by the powerful explosion.

The officials blamed enemies of peace, referring to the Taliban militant group, for the attacks.

Taliban militants, who ruled the country before being ousted in late 2001, renewed armed insurgency, killing government troops as well as civilians.

They have intensified armed attacks against security forces across the country since early last year when the Taliban's so-called yearly rebel offensive started.