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Suicide bomber kills 4 civilians in Afghan market

  • Story Highlights
  • Five police officers among wounded, two civilians critically injured, chief says
  • Bombing comes a day after Taliban forces attacked NATO helicopter
  • In Badghis province, Afghan forces kill 15 Taliban fighters, colonel says
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From Farhad Peikar
Journalist
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KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- A suicide attacker detonated his explosives Sunday in Musa Qala, killing himself and four civilians, the Helmand province police chief said.

The attack came in Musa Qala's main market, Chief Mohammad Hussain Andewal said. Eight people were wounded in the attack -- five police and three civilians.

Two of the civilians were critically wounded; the rest were not seriously hurt, Andewal said.

Afghan troops backed by NATO troops recaptured Musa Qala from Taliban forces in December.

On Saturday, Taliban forces shot at a NATO helicopter carrying Helmand's provincial governor and British military officials, forcing the aircraft to make a hard landing. One person was hurt in the attack.

The group was traveling from central Helmand to Musa Qala to inaugurate a newly built mosque in the district.

Meanwhile, in northwestern Afghan province of Badghis, Afghan forces killed 15 Taliban fighters and arrested two others on Saturday during a gun battle in an operation in the Ghormaach district, Army Col. Gholam Sakhi Khan said.

Khan, who is commanding the army forces in this operation, said the operation began Friday in the area and is aimed at blocking the Taliban's movement toward Afghanistan's northern provinces.

He said NATO-led forces were supporting the ongoing operation.

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