Afghanistan - Five died, 31 wounded in two explosions in Kandahar (Rice visits Kabul)

AFP via Babelfish translation | March 17, 2005

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Five died and 31 wounded in two explosions with Kandahar

KABUL - At least five people were killed and 31 wounded Thursday during two simultaneous explosions with Kandahar, the large city of the south of Afghanistan, announced local persons in charge.

"Two explosions occurred at the same time, one in the center, the other in the west of the city. We have five died confirmed and 31 wounded ", affirmed by telephone with the AFP Khaled Pashtun, the director of the Businesses external of the municipality.

These explosions, whose origin had not been given initially, intervened whereas the American Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice paid in Kabul his first visit in Afghanistan since his nomination in January.

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Blast rocks Afghan city of Kandahar, many casualties

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, March 17 (Reuters) - A blast rocked the southern Afghan city of Kandahar on Thursday wounding or killing around 20 people in the downtown area, witnesses said.

The explosion in the former Taliban stronghold went off as U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice began talks with Afghan leaders in the capital Kabul to deepen democracy in the country and save it from becoming a narcotics state.

There are some 18,000 U.S.-led troops in Afghanistan fighting a Taliban-inspired insurgency in the south and east of the country.