Two blasts kill one in Afghanistan

Two bomb attacks Sunday in the eastern city of Jalalabad and southern Trinkot in Afghanistan killed one person -- the attacker -- and wounding 16 others, officials said.

In the first attack at Jalalabad, capital of Nangarhar province 120 km east of Kabul, over a dozen people, mostly civilians, sustained injuries, Xinhua reported. Some were in critical condition.

"A roadside bomb (planted) by militants struck the vehicle of provincial prosecutor Abdul Qayum, injuring him along with 15 others," Deputy to Provincial Police Chief Masoom Hashimi told Xinhua.

Some of the injured were members of Qayum's family, he added. The attack damaged some vehicles and houses nearby.

No one claimed responsibility for the attack. But Hashimi blamed it on "enemies of peace", a term used for Taliban militants by Afghan officials.

The second blast took place an hour later in Trinkot city, capital of the southern Uruzgan province 370 km south of Kabul. The attacker himself was killed in the blast, according to officials.

"A man strapping explosive device on his body was attempting to enter the provincial governor office compound but fortunately police identified him and ordered to stop. But the man blew himself up killing himself alone," spokesman Abdullah Humat told Xinhua.

Farid Ayel, police spokesman in Trinkot city, said the attacker was in police uniform and attempted to target a long queue of policemen waiting to receive their salaries from a bank.

He blamed Taliban militants for the attack.

Taliban militants fighting the government have speeded up their activities since launching their so-called spring offensive in May.

On Saturday, suicide bombers targeted the Indian consulate in Jalalabad. But the explosion took place short of the consulate, leaving at least 12 people dead.