Bomber kills 6, wounds 35 in Afghanistan-official

KABUL, May 20 (Reuters) A suicide bomber killed six civilians and wounded at least 35 others in the southern Afghan province of Paktia today, the provincial police chief said.

Another official, Paktia's governor Rahmatullah Rahmat, said the bomber struck as a convoy of foreign forces was passing through a street market in the city of Gardez, about 100 km (60 miles) south of the capital Kabul.

There were no immediate details of any casualties among the forces and the International Security Assistance Force, which leads thousands of foreign troops in the country, was checking on reports of the attack.

Taliban insurgents have stepped up attacks after a traditional winter lull in fighting. The Taliban has said it has trained hundreds of suicide bombers.

A spate of attacks this week followed the death of the insurgents' top operational commander, Mullah Dadullah, in a raid last weekend that was considered the biggest blow to the Taliban since they were driven from power in 2001.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing yesterday in a crowded market in the northern city of Kunduz. Nine people, including three German soldiers, were killed.

REUTERS SW PM1245