Explosion in Ghazni province leaves 9 dead or injured

At least two people were killed and seven others were injured following an explosion in eastern Ghazni province of Afghanistan on Wednesday.According to local government officials, the incident took place in the capital city of Ghazni province on Wednesday afternoon.Provincial governor spokesman, Shafiq Nang Sapai, the explosion took place around 12 pm local time after explosives planted in a bicycle went off.Mr. Sapai further added that two people were killed and seven others were injured following the explosion.He said the main target of the explosion was head of the Andar district criminal investigation department (CID) chief.In the meantime, deputy provincial governor Mohammad Ali Ahmadi said a member of the criminal investigation department (CID) was killed along with another individual following explosion.Ahmadi said all those injured in the explosion are ordinary civilians.No group including the Taliban militants has so far claimed responsibility behind the explosion. Earlier today, at least 18 Taliban militants were killed and 7 others were injured during military operations by Afghan national police (ANP) forces during the past 24 hours, interior ministry said Wednesday.The operations were conducted with the cooperation of Afghan national army (ANA) and Afghan intelligence – National Directorate of Security (NDS).At least five Taliban militants were also arrested during the same operations which were conducted in Kunar, Kunduz, Kandahar, Zabul, Maidan Wardak, Logar, Ghazni, Paktiya, Farah and Helmand provinces of Afghanistan.According to a statement released by interior ministry, Afghan national security forces also seized light and heavy weapons during the operations.Afghan national police discovered and seized 15 improvised explosive devices (IED) during the operations in Nangarhar, Laghman, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Khost, Herat and Farah provinces of Afghanistan.The interior ministry said the improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were recently planted by Taliban militants to carry out insurgency attacks.