Explosion rocks Afghan city, multiple casualties – officials

KABUL, Afghanistan – A blast rocked a city in Afghanistan’s restive south on Friday, killing and wounding dozens of people as they left a wrestling match, officials said, in the latest attack in the country. 

“A car bomb blast happened at the entrance gate to the sports stadium in the first Police District of Lashkar Gah city,” Helmand province’s police spokesman Salam Afghan told AFP. 

Helmand governor spokesman Omar Zwak said at least 10 people had been killed and 37 others wounded.

“The explosion happened at a time when spectators were leaving the stadium after the wrestling match had finished,” Zwak told AFP.

The police spokesman had initially given a toll of two dead and 20 wounded.

Afghan officials often give conflicting tolls in the wake of attacks.

The Italian NGO Emergency said 4 dead and 35 wounded had been taken to its hospital in the city.

“We heard a loud explosion from our surgical centre in the city,” Emergency tweeted.

“35 wounded already taken to our hospital, another 4 were dead on arrival.” – Rappler.com