car bombing in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan — A sport utility vehicle packed with explosives detonated in a market in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, bringing down shops and leaving the bloodied remains of men, women and children in the rubble. By late afternoon, at least 89 people were known to have been killed, the Defense Ministry said.

The bombing, in Paktika Province, was one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Afghanistan since 2001, and suspicion immediately fell on the Taliban or their Islamist militant allies. But the insurgents denied any involvement. The market was filled mainly with civilians and had little strategic value to either side in the war here.