Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Taliban bomb maker accidentally kills himself and sons when explosives detonate

Kamal Khan from Afghanistan dies when bombs detonate while family slept upstairs

Gabriel Samuels
Thursday 19 January 2017 14:32 GMT
Comments
Many bombs made by Kamal Khan were used in deadly attacks across Afghanistan, it is believed (file photo)
Many bombs made by Kamal Khan were used in deadly attacks across Afghanistan, it is believed (file photo) (Getty Images)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A Taliban bomb maker accidentally killed himself and his four sons, when explosives detonated while he was building weapons for the militant group.

Kamal Khan, an expert bomb constructor from Sar-i-Pul province in northern Afghanistan, inadvertently caused an explosive to detonate during the night, while his family slept upstairs.

A spokesman for the provincial government said bombs made by Mr Khan were used frequently during deadly Taliban roadside attacks against security forces and US army troops.

He is believed to have been the Taliban’s most experienced explosives expert in Sar-i-Pul as well as a district commander, and had worked for the group for over a decade.

According to a UN report, a total of 2,562 civilians were killed and another 5,835 wounded during battles between the Taliban and Afghan government in the first nine months of 2016.

In June last year, a Taliban suicide bomber attacked an Afghan military convoy outside Kabul, killing almost 40 people and leaving dozens with severe injuries.

In November, at least two people died in a car bomb attack on the German consulate in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif in north Afghanistan.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in