Suicide raid kills, wounds several in Afghan south

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Feb 27 (Reuters) A suicide attack killed and wounded several people in Afghanistan's southern city of Kandahar today, in what is seen as part of the start of a spring offensive by Taliban guerrillas.

The bomber blew himself up near a top provincial official's vehicle in the heart of the city, but the official escaped unhurt, witnesses said.

At least two of those killed were civilians, officials said.

No one immediately claimed responsibility, but the Taliban have unleashed a series of such attacks against foreign troops and Afghan government personnel in the past.

The attack comes during a visit to Afghanistan by US Vice President Dick Cheney for talks with President Hamid Karzai and US commanders.

And yesterday a policeman was killed in the southeastern town of Khost after the bomber detonated his explosives at the gate of a police station.

After months of a lull because of the harsh winter, the Taliban have carried out a series of attacks, including suicide raids against foreign troops and government forces recently.

Last year was the bloodiest since the Taliban's ouster in 2001 and there is concern this year could be as bad or worse after a Taliban threat of a spring offensive and a jump in suicide attacks.

More than 4,000 people, a quarter of them civilians, died in fighting last year, mostly in the south and east where the Taliban are most active.

With an upsurge in fighting expected, Britain yesterday said it would send another 1,400 troops to Afghanistan because most NATO allies have refused appeals for more forces.

Britain has 6,300 soldiers in Afghanistan -- the largest force after the United States, which has 27,000.

REUTERS BDP RAI1238