Kabul, June 10 (IANS): Eight Afghan de-mining pesonnel were killed in a Taliban attack in the eastern province of Logar Tuesday, the presidential palace said.
"On Tuesday morning, personnel of MDC (Mine Detection Centre) were working at a site in Tobagi area near Aynak (copper mine project). They came under terrorists' attack, with eight personnel killed and three others injured," Xinhua quoted the statement as saying.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai strongly condemned the attack.
Karzai expressed sympathy with the families of the victims and prayed for the early recovery of the injured.
The statement blamed the enemies of Afghanistan, a term referring to Taliban insurgents, for the bloody attack.
The Taliban insurgent group has intensified subversive activities as the country is preparing for a presidential runoff election slated for June 14.
More than 2,900 civilians were killed and nearly 5,700 wounded in conflicts and Taliban-led attacks in the war-torn country last year, according to official figures released by UN mission in the country.