Insurgents ambushed road workers in southeast Afghanistan Wednesday night, killing three dozen men. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the road workers were targeted because the highway they were working on is often used by government and coalition forces.
More than 100 militants participated in the attack, which was carried out at a road work camp alongside the highway in the Wazai Zadran district of Pakita Province. The highway connects the cities of Gardez and Khost. Officials say 36 construction workers and 8 militants died in the attack. At least 20 other workers were wounded.
"A large group of Taliban attacked a road construction company in Paktia province," said a spokesman for the province. "The fighting between the company guards and Taliban attackers continued for two hours."
Militants burned 12 vehicles and destroyed other road-building equipment. "They [the Taliban] destroyed a lot of our equipment including vehicles and equipment used for road construction," said Noorullah Bidar, the head of the construction company. “We don't know why they attacked us... they are doing this to prevent reconstruction in Afghanistan."
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