Afghan ammunition dump explodes

An ammunition dump in a northern Afghan village exploded yesterday flattening the neighbourhood around it, killing 28 people and wounding 70, a government spokesman said.

The dump, which contained mortar bombs, artillery rounds and other ordnance, belonged to a militia commander called Jalal Bajgaye.

Interior Ministry spokesman Lutfullah Mashal said Mr Bajgaye was killed in the blast and there were fears that some people might still be trapped under the rubble.

"The whole neighbourhood around the ammunition dump has been destroyed," Mr Mashal said, adding that children and women were among the casualties.

The cause of the blast in Pajga village in Baghlan province, 120 kilometres north of the capital, Kabul, was being investigated, he said.

"Rescue workers are trying to find survivors feared to have been trapped under the ruins," Mr Mashal said.

Taliban insurgents, who confine most of their attacks to the south and east of the country, have not been known to operate in the area.

Afghanistan is awash with weapons and old stocks of ammunition after decades of conflict.

The government launched a drive to disarm militias and take away their heavy weapons and ammunition in 2003 but much ordnance remains uncollected.

Mr Bajgaye had been demobilised under the drive but had kept ammunition at his depot, Mr Mashal said.

There have been several blasts at arms depots in recent years but yesterday's was the most deadly.