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Blasts at Afghan gas storage facility kill 11, mostly children

A series of explosions at a gas reservoir in the western Afghan city of Herat has resulted in 10 deaths at a nearby refugee camp.

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He predicted that the casualties may go up.

Those killed lived in a camp for displaced people, which was next to the the gas company compound.

Moreover, a similar incident in the northern Mazar-e-Sharif city, the capital of Balkh province on Tuesday morning had turned to ashes more than 50 shops, head of fire brigade department in the province Abdul Mohammad Zamarai said.

According to the BBC, a spokesman for Herat Regional Hospital said that another 18 people were injured in the blasts.

Photos posted online showed a large fire lighting up the night sky.

Ihasanullah Hayat, spokesman for the governor of Herat, confirmed the toll and said the majority of those killed were children.

“The explosions were powerful and sparked a huge fire”, said the man, who had sought refuge in Herat after fleeing the neighbouring restive province of Badghis that has seen an escalation of violence.

Safety standards are low across Afghanistan and explosions related to domestic gas cylinders are frequently sighted in the impoverished country.

Herat, a business hub and Afghanistan’s third largest city, is close to the Iranian border and has enjoyed relative peace throughout the conflict.

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Taliban militants have stepped up their offensive which they launched in late April.

Herat Afghanistan