Afghan police defuse 5 improvised bombs in eastern province

XINHUA

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The Afghan National Police (ANP) discovered and defused five Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) near a main foreign forces' base in eastern province of Parwan on Monday, the Interior Ministry said on Tuesday.

"A total of five IEDs were discovered and defused by ANP in Chinzaye village, Bagram district of Parwan province on Monday," the ministry said in a statement.

The Bagram Airfield, some 50 km north of Afghan capital of Kabul, has been serving as a main U.S. and NATO military base in Afghanistan over the past 15 years.

The Taliban militant group uses IEDs to target security forces but the lethal weapons also inflict casualties on civilians, according to military officials.

IED explosion is the third largest cause of civilian casualties in Afghanistan, following ground engagement and suicide attack.

More than 2,560 civilians were killed and over 5,830 injured in conflict-related incidents across Afghanistan in the first nine months of 2016, according to the figures released by the UN mission in the country.

(APD)