An Afghan army helicopter crashed Wednesday in bad weather in the western Farah province, killing all 25 people on board, including the deputy corps commander of the western zone, a provincial spokesman said.
Mohammad Naser Mehri, spokesman for the Farah governor, said the helicopter crashed around 9:10 a.m. (0440 GMT), shortly after taking off from the mountainous Anar Dara district heading toward the nearby Herat province. On board were the corps commander, Gen. Naimudullah Khalil, and two members of the Farah provincial council, including its chairman, Farid Bakhtawar.
Elsewhere in Afghanistan, a suicide bomber struck outside the country's largest prison on the edge of the capital, Kabul, killing seven people, including prison workers and security personnel, said Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish. The attacker targeted a bus carrying prison workers, he said. The sprawling Pul-e-Charkhi prison houses hundreds of inmates, including scores of Taliban insurgents.
Security forces stand guard near the site of a suicide attack on prison employees' vehicle in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018. An Interior Ministry official says the suicide bomber has struck outside the country's largest prison on the eastern edge of the capital Kabul. (AP PhotoMassoud Hossaini)
Abadullah Karimi, a prison official, said the attack occurred near the prison gate where visitors were waiting to pass a rigorous security check before entering.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Security forces inspect the site of a suicide attack on prison employees' vehicle in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018. An Interior Ministry official says the suicide bomber has struck outside the country's largest prison on the eastern edge of the capital Kabul. (AP PhotoMassoud Hossaini)