KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A remote-controlled car bomb blast on Tuesday shook the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, still reeling from attacks in the area which have killed scores of people in the past two days.
The blast was aimed at a police vehicle but missed it,witnesses and police said. One civilian was killed and threemore were wounded in the explosion, police said.
The attack came as many people in the city observed generalmourning for more than 140 people killed in two suspectedsuicide raids in the past two days in other parts of Kandaharprovince, a stronghold of Taliban insurgents fighting theAfghan government and its Western backers.
Most victims of the two attacks were civilians. One thatkilled over 100 people on Sunday was the deadliest single raidsince U.S.-led troops overthrew the Taliban government in 2001.
The recent blasts are part of rising violence inAfghanistan in the past two years, the bloodiest period sincethe Taliban's fall.
More than 11,000 people have been killed during this period
and the Taliban have made a comeback, especially in thesouthern areas, where they enjoy the most sympathy amongstcivilians.
The latest attacks come as discussions are already underwayamong the Afghan government, the United States and its NATOallies on how to stabilise the country and prevent it fromsliding back into anarchy.
In light of the rising violence, many Afghans havequestioned the alliance's and U.S. military's ability to securetheir country as had promised.
U.S.-led troops toppled Taliban's government after itrefused to hand over al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, thesuspected architect of the September 11 attacks on the UnitedStates.
The militants are active in southern and eastern areas andhave bases in the lawless border areas of nuclear-armedPakistan.
(Writing by Sayed Salahuddin; Editing by Alex Richardsonand Jerry Norton)
