Attack on Taliban vehicle carrying military employees kills five

The victims were medical personnel employed by Taliban security forces, a defence ministry spokesperson says

Members of Taliban sit on a military vehicle during Taliban military parade in Kabul, Afghanistan Nov 14, 2021. REUTERS

An attack on a vehicle in western Afghanistan killed five medical personnel employed by Taliban security forces on Thursday, a defence ministry spokesperson said.

"This morning, unknown armed men attacked a ... vehicle carrying medical personnel of the 207th Al-Farooq Army Corps," said Ministry of Defence spokesperson Enayatullah Khowrazmi, referring to a Taliban military unit headquartered in the western province of Herat. Several employees were also injured in the attack, he added.

Since taking over the country in 2021, the Taliban say they have focussed on restoring security to the war-torn nation.

However, in recent months a number of attacks have taken place and the United Nations has said security is deteriorating.

In the western city of Herat, a large blast hit near a mosque in September, killing 18 people including a pro-Taliban cleric and in July, an attack on an Al-Farooq 207 Corps vehicle killed two security force members.

Several attacks have also taken place in Kabul, including an explosion this month that hit a mosque in the vicinity of the heavily fortified interior ministry compound, killing four people and wounding 25.

It was not clear who was behind those attacks. Other attacks in the country have been claimed by the Islamic State militant group.