KABUL: At least three police officers were killed after a group of Taliban suicide bombers attacked a police station in eastern Logar province, provincial officials said Wednesday.
The slain police included the commander of the police station, another officer and the deputy director of traffic police for Logar’s capital of Puli Alim, said Khalid Safi, a spokesman for the provincial governor.
In addition, 12 others including four police and eight civilians were wounded in the Wednesday morning attack, said Shah Poor Ahmadzai, spokesman for the provincial police chief. Two young children were among those wounded, he said.
The attack began when a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle full of explosives close to the police building. Three other suicide bombers then tried to enter into the compound, Ahmadzai said. The three were shot and killed by security forces within five minutes of the gunbattle, he said.
A number of civilian houses were damaged by the car bomb, he said.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Taliban have stepped up their attacks against Afghan security forces as well as government officials since the announcement of their spring offensive in April across the country.
Taliban suicide bombers kill 3 police, wound 12 in Afghanistan
Taliban suicide bombers kill 3 police, wound 12 in Afghanistan
Norway launches probe of Middle East diplomat and husband over Epstein links
- Mona Juul resigned from her position as ambassador to Jordan and Iraq
- Juul and her husband Terje Rod-Larsen played key roles in the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations which led to the Oslo Accords
OSLO: Norwegian police said Monday they have launched an “aggravated corruption” investigation against a high-profile diplomat, Mona Juul, and her husband Terje Rod-Larsen, over the couple’s links to late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The police economic crime unit Okokrim said in statement that the probe began last week and that an Oslo residence was searched on Monday, as well as a residence belonging to a witness.
“We have launched an investigation to determine whether any criminal offenses have been committed. We are facing a comprehensive and, by all accounts lengthy investigation,” Okokrim chief Pal Lonseth, said.
Juul, 66, and Rod-Larsen, 78, played key roles in the secret Israeli-Palestinian negotiations which led to the Oslo Accords of the early 1990s.
Epstein left $10 million in his will to the couple’s two children, according to Norwegian media.
“Among other things, Okokrim will investigate whether she received benefits in connection to her position,” the statement said.
On Sunday, the foreign ministry announced that Juul had resigned from her position as ambassador to Jordan and Iraq.
“Juul’s contact with the convicted abuser Epstein has shown a serious lapse in judgment,” Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said in connection to the announcement.
She had already been temporarily suspended last week pending an internal investigation by the ministry into her alleged links to Epstein, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.
Norway’s political and royal circles have been thrust into the eye of the Epstein storm, including the CEO of the World Economic Forum Borge Brende.
Former prime minister Thorbjorn Jagland, is also being investigated for “aggravated corruption” over links to Epstein while he was chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee — which awards the Nobel Peace Prize — and as secretary general of the Council of Europe.
Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit has also come under scrutiny for her relationship with Epstein, which on Friday she said she “deeply regretted.”
On Monday, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store voiced support for the establishing of an independent commission set up by Parliament, to fully examine the nature of the ties between these figures and Epstein.
