Suicide blast kills 1 outside Afghan police station

MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan, July 19 (Reuters) A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a police station in northeastern Afghanistan today, killing one civilian and wounding 11, police said.

The bombing, in the town of Faizabad, was the first suicide attack in the far northeast of Afghanistan, regarded as one of the safer regions of the country and a long way from the Taliban heartlands in the south.

Afghanistan is going through its bloodiest phase of violence since US-led troops overthrew the Taliban Government in 2001.

The bomber detonated the explosives attached to his body during the morning rush hour outside the main police station of Faizabad, capital of Badakhshan province.

The casualties were all civilians, said provincial police chief General Noor Aqa. He said he had no other details.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but authorities suspected Taliban militants.

The Taliban are largely active in southern and eastern areas where the militants mostly rely on suicide attacks and roadside bombs against foreign and Afghan troops as part of their insurgency campaign.

REUTERS GT VV1057