Bomber kills at least 35 at Afghan health clinic

A SUICIDE car bomber attacked a health clinic in eastern Afghanistan yesterday as women and children lined up for maternity care and vaccinations, killing at least 35 people in one of the deadliest attacks against civilians this year.

The sport utility vehicle smashed through a wall at the Akbarkhail Public Medical Centre on Saturday before anyone could shoot the driver or blow out the tires, local officials said. The force of the blast caused the building to collapse.

Survivors frantically dug through the rubble with shovels and bare hands. At least 53 other people were wounded, provincial public health director Dr Mohammad Zaref Nayebkhail said.