US President Donald Trump paid an unannounced visit to the Bagram Airfield on November 27, on the Thanksgiving holiday. A fortnight later, a suicide bomber attacked an under-construction medical facility, close to the Bagram Airbase at about 6:00 am [Local Time] on Wednesday. Bagram remains America's main airbase, situated north of Afghan capital, Kabul. At least one woman died and 62 other civilians were injured in the suicide bomb attack at the medical facility.
The explosion occurred in Jan Qadam area of Bagram district, Afghanistan's TOLO News reported. The bomb attack was followed by gun-fight between foreign troops and the attackers, spokesperson for the provincial governor Wahida Shahkar, said in a staement.
US military convoy might have been the target, reports
Earlier reports suggested a US military convoy might have been the target of the attack. But no coalition casualty has been reported, as of now. Civilian casualties have risen, from five, reported earlier, to one fatality and 62 injuries, as per the latest updates.
Giving further details, Abdul Shakoor Qudousi, Bagram district governor, said that "seven attackers were engaged with security forces" and that "four vehicles holding explosives were used and two detonated."
"The explosion was very heavy and surprised the people as it was very early," said Qudousi. He added that "the attackers were hidden in a non-active hospital building and clashed with security forces. The target was Bagram airbase," he added.
Neither the Taliban nor IS has claimed responsibility
According to the locals, they were awakened by the loud explosion that shattered the nearby buildings. The medical facility that was attacked was being built to help the Afghan people who live in the area, the US military said. The building has been badly damaged.
Neither the Taliban nor the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Wednesday attack. Taliban had upped its attacks in the central Asian nation, since the breakdown of peace talks with the USA. The talks were resumed, last week, in Doha.
