KABUL, Afghanistan – A suicide bomber posing as an army volunteer struck an Afghan army recruitment center in the northern province of Kunduz today, killing at least 33 people, Afghan officials said. Militants appear to be waging an intense campaign to frighten people from working with security forces and the Afghan government in Kunduz, the target of escalating suicide bombings over the past two years. Violence has increased in the north as international forces have flooded into Taliban strongholds in the south.
Mondays attack was the second suicide bombing in five days in Kunduz, where al-Qaida, the Taliban and numerous other militant groups, including one from neighboring Uzbekistan, have increased their presence. The attacker approached on foot and detonated his explosives vest among a group of army volunteers lined up outside the recruitment center, Kunduz Deputy Governor Hamdullah Danishi said.
Ambulances and private cars brought at least 42 wounded to the Kunduz hospital, said provincial government spokesman Muhbobullah Sayedi. "We have 33 bodies, including soldiers and civilians," said Humayun Khamush, a doctor at the hospital. Four children were also killed, he said. President Hamid Karzai condemned the bombing, vowed retribution against those responsible and expressed condolences to survivors. The same recruitment center was targeted in a mid-December attack that killed eight soldiers and policemen. The Taliban claimed responsibility for that attack.