Afghanistan's former Taliban today denied involvement in a bomb blast this week that killed at least 15 people on a passenger bus in the southern province of Helmand.
The attack on Wednesday, in which six children and a woman were among the dead, came on one of the bloodiest days since the hardline regime was ousted from power late in 2001, raising fears of a resurgence of the Islamic militia.
"The Taliban are not linked to the deaths of innocentpeople and the Taliban feel sorry for those deaths," a Taliban official, told Reuters bysatellite telephone from an undisclosed location.Local officials had blamed the Helmand bus attack on the ousted Taliban.
The Taliban spokesman blamed the attack on rival Afghan commanders settling old scores. He also accused non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in Afghanistan of acting as spies for the United States, adding that attacks on them would therefore be justified.
The Taliban have been blamed for attacks on NGOs,anti-Taliban clerics, Afghan and foreign forces and civiliansin recent months.
More than 60 people died in the 24 hours from late Tuesday,25 of them in a factional clash and 21 in fighting betweenAfghan forces and suspected Taliban and al-Qaeda rebels nearthe border with Pakistan.