Haqqani network behind Afghan truck blast: Pentagon

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WASHINGTON: The Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network was behind a truck bombing that killed four Afghan civilians and wounded 77 US troops on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, the Pentagon said on Monday.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for Saturday's attack in Wardak province, 30 miles (50 km) south of the capital. The bombing occurred hours after the Taliban issued a Sept. 11-related statement blaming the United States for the bloodshed in Afghanistan.

"This was of course a deplorable attack against a combat outpost in Wardak and we condemn it in the strongest possible terms," Pentagon spokesman George Little said. "We believe that the perpetrators were from the Haqqani network. ... This is totally unacceptable behavior and we call on these kind of attacks to cease."

Little declined to detail what evidence the US government has to suggest Haqqani network involvement in the incident, which involved a large bomb hidden in a truckload of firewood.

"Suffice it to say that we have strong confidence that they were involved," he said. "There is a very strong likelihood that top Haqqani leadership supported and were aware of the attack."

"This was not some guy with a suicide vest," said Navy Captain John Kirby, spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"This was a large, large vehicle with a large amount of explosive material in it. And you don't conduct that kind of an attack without good resourcing, good planning and a fair level of coordination." (Reuters)