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Global

Afghan suicide raid kills more than 20


    KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) - More than 20 Afghan civilians were killed in a suicide attack on Monday targeting a foreign military convoy near the border with Pakistan, a police official said.

    "The toll has gone up to 23 and more than 20 othercivilians have been wounded," police border commander AbdulRazaaq told Reuters.

    Another official from the area said that two foreignsoldiers also died in the attack, which happened on a road inthe town of Spin Boldak in Kandahar province, a stronghold forTaliban insurgents.

    It came a day after more than 100 people were killed in asuspected suicide bombing outside Kandahar city, one of thecountry's single deadliest attacks.

    A large mourning ceremony was held on Monday at a mosque inArghandab for a top provincial police officer, Abdul Hakim,killed along with 32 of his colleagues in the attack onspectators at a dog fight.

    Kandahar's governor, Assadullah Khalid, has accused theTaliban of the attack, but the insurgents deniedresponsibility.

    The latest violence comes as some Western politicians havecalled for a stronger resolve to tackle the insurgency to stopAfghanistan sliding back into anarchy.

    (Writing by Sayed Salahuddin and Alex Richardson; Editingby Jeremy Laurence)