Taliban kill 3 in Kabul suicide bombing (Lead)

Kabul March 17 (IANS) A suicide car bombing claimed by the Taliban in Kabul on Saturday left at least three people dead and four injured.

The attack which caused panic among Kabul residents came amid increased government forces crackdowns on anti-government militants elsewhere in the country especially in the countryside where armed insurgents are active Xinhua news agency reported.

According to Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi all the victims of the suicide attack were "innocent civilians".

However Zabihullah Majahid who claims to speak for the Taliban outfit in contact with media outlets said that the suicide bombing targeted a convoy of foreign forces killing "several invaders".

Afghan security forces backed by the US-led coalition troops have intensified military pressure on militants since August last year when US President Donald Trump announced Washington s new strategy on Afghanistan and South Asia.

The deadly attacks organised by the Taliban and the IS group have reportedly claimed the lives of more than 200 people mostly civilians in the capital city since the beginning of this year.

Taliban insurgents and like-minded groups would continue to harm people by conducting suicide bombings in Kabul to divert the attention of the security forces from the countryside to the big cities to reduce military pressure on militants political analyst Khan Mohammad Daneshjo said.

--IANS
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