At least eight Taliban militants have been killed and several others severely injured when their explosive devices went off prematurely in the troubled southern Afghanistan, the Interior Ministry says.
The Afghan Interior Ministry said in a statement that the deadly blast took place in the house of a Taliban local commander, Mullah Sababullah, in southern province of Zabul on Wednesday.
“A group of eight suicide bombers linked to the Taliban outfit were killed by the accidental blast of their own explosive material while they were organizing terrorist attacks in Now Bahar district of Zabul province today,” the statement read.
Sources say the death toll is expected to rise as some of the injured are said to be in critical condition.
The Taliban recently announced the start of their annual “spring offensive” across Afghanistan and vowed to increase their attacks on US-led troops stationed in the country as well as Afghan forces.
The US-led war in Afghanistan removed the Taliban from power, but insecurity continues to rise across Afghanistan, despite the presence of about many US-led troops there.
The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 as part of so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but insecurity remains across the country.
The US-led war in Afghanistan, which has caused record-high civilian and military casualties, has become the longest military conflict in the American history.
JR/AS
This article originally appeared on: Press TV