Afghan bomber in female garb kills 12, self

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — A suicide bomber cloaked in an Afghan woman's body-covering burqa killed at least 12 other people and wounded at least 27 Thursday in southwestern Afghanistan, a sparsely populated region where Taliban militants have increased attacks in recent months.

The explosion occurred in Dialaram, in Farah province.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assault and denied that the bomber was a woman. It identified the bomber as a man named Mullah Khalid.

A Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, said the intended target was a local police commander. Officials said a large number of local police and civilians were among the victims.

Provincial Gov. Rohul Aman said the dead included at least five policemen and seven civilians, while the wounded included at least 11 police and 16 civilians.

Police tried to stop the bomber seconds before he exploded, provincial official Younus Rasoul said.

Afghanistan is battling a Taliban-led insurgency that is strongest in the east and south of the country.

Militants launched more than 140 suicide bombings in the country in 2007, and many of those killed in the attacks have been civilians.

At least 1,200 people — mostly militants — have died in insurgency-related violence in 2008, according to an Associated Press tally.