Bomber targets Afghan market

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A suicide bomber killed at least 15 people and wounded 28 more in an attack on a busy marketplace in Afghanistan's northern province of Faryab on Tuesday (March 18), the provincial governor said.

Faryab governor Mohammadullah Batash told Reuters it was a busy bazaar day and the market was full of activity when the bomber detonated the explosives.

He said the target was unclear.

Afghanistan faces security challenges, such as preventing hard-to-govern areas from reverting to militant safe havens, as foreign forces begin to withdraw.

With foreign troops due to end combat operations in Afghanistan at the close of 2014, NATO has been planning to keep a slimmed-down force there to train and assist Afghan forces who continue to fight Taliban insurgents.