Fourteen Civilians killed by roadside bomb in Afghanistan
Fourteen civilians, including women and children, were killed on Tuesday by a roadside bomb in central Afghanistan, officials said.
Whereas the violence continues despite peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government, and also between the Qatar govt.
Afghan officials say a roadside bomb has killed a minimum of 14 civilians within the central province of Daikundi.
Details of Aghanistan incident
The provincial governor’s spokesman, Nasrullah Ghori, told RFE/RL that seven women, five children, and two men died when their vehicle was hit by the explosion on September 29.
Three other passengers were wounded in the blast, he said.
No group has claimed responsibility for the blast, but Interior Ministry spokesman Tareq Arian blamed the Taliban.
The roadside blast comes as Taliban and Afghan government negotiators are meeting in the Qatari capital, Doha, to undertake to seek out some way to put an end to 19 years of war within the country.
The Taliban has refused a nationwide cease-fire despite the continuing peace talks, which started on September 12.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has documented over 1,280 Afghan civilian deaths during the primary half of 2020.
Mainly as a result of fighting between Afghan government forces and Taliban militants.
Afghanistan accusing Islamabad of supporting Taliban?
Despite calls for a ceasefire, the Taliban have refused to halt their violence, seeing it as key to leverage at the negotiating table.
The blast came as the head of the Afghan peace process, Abdullah Abdullah, kicked off the second day of a three-day visit to neighboring Pakistan.
Speaking at an event in Islamabad, he proclaimed that the “ice has been broken” at peace talks, which started September 12.
Afghanistan has long accused Islamabad of providing vital support and safe havens to the Taliban.
Islamabad denies it supports the Taliban, but its influence with the militants is seen as pivotal to paving the way for any potential deal.
