UAE confirms five officials killed in Afghan attack

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has confirmed that five of its officials were killed in a bomb attack in Kandahar in southern Afghanistan.

They died in blasts at the governor of Kandahar's guesthouse on Tuesday, where at least six others were killed including the deputy governor, two senior Afghan officials and two MPs.

The governor and the UAE ambassador were among at least 18 wounded.

The attack was one of several in Afghanistan on Tuesday.

The Taliban admitted attacks in the capital Kabul and in Helmand province, but denied the Kandahar attack, instead blaming it on "internal local rivalry".

Afghanistan's Tolo News quoted survivors as saying that the bomb was hidden in a sofa at the guesthouse.

Kandahar police chief Gen Abdul Raziq was among the guests, but was unharmed.

Senior police and intelligence officials were also present, officials say.

(BBC)