Bombing kills 18 in Afghanistan on eve of Eid ceasefire
KABUL A minimum of 18 other people, together with Afghan safety forces staff, had been killed in a suspected car-bombing in japanese Afghanistan on Thursday, hours earlier than a three-day ceasefire used to be to start out within the nation for the Muslim competition of Eid al-Adha, officers stated.
The ceasefire, introduced by way of the Taliban, comes at a time violence has risen around the war-torn nation as U.S.-brokered peace talks between the militant staff and an Afghan government-mandated committee look ahead to the final touch of a prisoner trade between the 2 aspects.
The Taliban denied accountability for the bombing in a observation from spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.
The explosion centered Afghan safety forces in Pul-e-Alan, the capital of the japanese province of Logar and civilian casualties also are feared, in keeping with Shahpoor Ahmadzai, the spokesman for the provincial police.
He added it used to be unclear whether or not it used to be a automobile or suicide bombing, however that safety forces had amassed for responsibility within the town to arrange for safety features for Eid al-Fitr, which will likely be celebrated in Afghanistan on Friday.
The pinnacle of the province’s council, Hasib Stanekkzai, advised Reuters it used to be a car-bombing and put the toll at 18 useless and 22 injured.
For the reason that U.S.-Taliban settlement in February, three,560 Afghan safety forces staff had been killed in assaults by way of militants, in keeping with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
The U.N. Help Undertaking in Afghanistan stated in a file this week that greater than 1,280 Afghan civilians have been killed within the first six months of the 12 months, principally on account of preventing between Afghan authorities forces and the Taliban.
U.S. Particular Consultant for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad used to be in Kabul on Wednesday to talk about the wish to stay violence down by way of either side after the ceasefire and the final touch of the prisoner trade, in keeping with a observation by way of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.
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