At least 30 people have been killed and more than 50 injured in a series of suicide bombings in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. The Taliban have claimed responsibility.

The explosions occurred at several locations in the centre of Kandahar, including the office of the chief of police, the house of the half-brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, and the city’s prison. This was the same prison stormed by the Taliban in 2008, in a raid that released hundreds of prisoners.
 
The Taliban said the attacks were intended as a message to the NATO commanders planning a major operation in Kandahar and the surrounding area later this year. The city, which used to be a bastion of the Taliban, has seen the influence of the rebels begin to grow again in recent months.