PRESS RELEASE | March 28, 2009
Experts confirm deadly IED attack targeted Afghan civilians
By None , ISAF Public Information Office

KABUL, Afghanistan (March 28) – Explosives experts have determined that insurgents deliberately attacked an Afghan civilian bus on Wednesday, in Khowst province, killing 10 civilians and wounding six others.

The device used in the deadly explosion was an operator-controlled Improvised Explosive Device (IED) rather than a victim-triggered mechanism such as a pressure plate configuration.

Afghan National Police (ANP) were the first to respond to the explosion in Naar village, Bak District. The police provided security to the site and coordinated the medical evacuation of the victims in conjunction with International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The ANP also worked closely with ISAF to collect evidence from the site.

Forensic examinations by U.S. Counter-IED investigators found that the device was manually detonated from a near-by location.

ISAF military reports found that there were no ISAF or Afghan National Security Forces in the area at the time of the explosion, which further indicated that the attackers deliberately targeted the bus which was transporting approximately 20 Afghan civilians.