Afghan skirmishes leave 39 dead in 24 hours

Afghan insurgency and counter-insurgency have left 39 dead including a civilian in the southern and northern regions of the conflict-hit country over the past 24 hours, officials said Wednesday.

In the latest violent incident a suicide bomber detonated his explosive device in Taliban former stronghold southern Kandahar province Wednesday morning, killing himself and a civilian, police spokesman in the province Zia Durani said.

"A terrorist tied explosive device in his body wanted to target security personnel, but before reaching the target, he was identified by security personnel and then detonated his suicide vest, killing himself and a passerby civilian," Durani told Xinhua.

One civilian sustained injury in the blast, the official added.

Moreover, five militants have been killed and 13 others sustained injuries as clashes flared up in Dand-e-Shahabudin district of the northern Baghlan province since Tuesday, provincial governor Abdul Satar Bariz said Wednesday.

Two security personnel have also been killed, the official asserted.

Government forces, following fierce fighting overran Dand-e-Shahabudin, a Taliban bastion in the northern Baghlan province in early March.

Taliban fighters, according to locals, returned to the district a week ago and begun attacking government interests.

Purported Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the clash in Dand-e-Shahabudin, claiming the militants captured a security forces base on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Nasratullah Jamshidi, an army spokesman in the neighboring Kunduz province, in talks with Xinhua reported the killing of 30 Taliban fighters and injuries of seven others across the troubled province over the past 24 hours.

Fighting usually gets momentum in spring and summer commonly known as fighting season among Afghans.