Afghanistan: 2 civilian killed, 30 injured in 'Taliban attack' in Khost

Khost [Afghanistan], July 31 : Atleast two Afghan civilians were killed and 30 other suffered injuries in a "Taliban attack" during a ceremony on National Flag Day in Yaqubi district in Khost province on Friday, according to the provincial government.
"Two civilians were killed and 30 more were wounded in a Taliban attack," Tolonews quoted the Khost governor's office.
Taliban has not commented on the incident.
Violence has escalated in Afghanistan in recent weeks as the Taliban have intensified their offensive against civilians, Afghan defence and security forces.
This comes in wake of foreign troops drawdown from the war-torn country.
Over the last few weeks, they captured several districts in Afghanistan including Takhar, the country's northeastern province.
The Taliban seized over 193 district centres and 19 border districts, according to the Afghan foreign ministry.
The Taliban have also taken control of 10 border crossing points across the country in Takhar, Kunduz, Badakhshan, Herat and Farah provinces leading to the complete shutdown of cross border movements and trade in these areas.
The ministry further disclosed that since April 14, nearly 4,000 ANDSF personnel had been killed, over 7,000 injured and about 1,600 captured by the Taliban. As many as 2,000 civilians, including women and children, were killed in the violence, while 2,200 were injured.