Afghan forces kill Taliban mastermind of Ghazni attack

Afghanistan forces have killed the Taliban mastermind of yesterday's attack in which at least 30 security personnel died, officials said on Monday. 

Hamza Waziristani died in an overnight air strike in the eastern province of Ghazni.

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"The mastermind behind yesterday's terrorist attack on the (Ghazni) base was killed along with seven other terrorists," a statement by the defence ministry said, reports news agency AFP. 

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Ministry spokesman Fawad Aman told that Waziristani was a Taliban terrorist from the border region of Waziristan in Pakistan. 

The response from Afghan forces came after Sunday's suicide attack in Ghazni in which the attacker detonated a vehicle full of explosives.

No group has claimed responsibility for the deadly bombing. 

The attack in Ghazni was one of the deadliest in months targetting government forces and comes amid a surge in violence since the beginning of peace talks between Afghanistan snd Taliban in Qatar. 

Violent incidents have also escalated in capital Kabul recently, with over 50 people killed in two assaults on educational institutions and a rocket attack. 

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for three Kabul attacks, but Afghan officials blamed the Taliban, who rejected such claims.