Car bomb attack kills many in Afghan capital

Kabul has been hit by a wave of deadly violence in recent months despite the Taliban and government engaging in peace talks to end the country's long conflict.

Afghan policemen inspect at the site of a blast in Kabul, Afghanistan on December 20, 2020.
Reuters

Afghan policemen inspect at the site of a blast in Kabul, Afghanistan on December 20, 2020.

A car bomb blast that rocked Afghanistan's capital has killed at least eight people, including women and children.

Tariq Arian, spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said on Sunday that more than 15 others were wounded in the attack including a member of parliament, Khan Mohammad Wardak.

Arian blamed "terrorists" for the attack, and said casualties and wounded included women, children and elders.

He added this was only the initial report of casualties, and that the toll could rise.

The attack happened while the lawmaker's convey was passing through an intersection in Kabul's Khoshal Khan neighborhood.

The blast set afire surrounding civilian vehicles, as well as damaging nearby buildings and shops.

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No claim of responsibility 

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Daesh has claimed responsibility for multiple attacks in the capital of Kabul in recent months, including on educational institutions that killed 50 people, most of them students.

Daesh also claimed responsibility for Saturday's rocket attacks at the major US base in Afghanistan. 

There were no casualties in that assault, according to NATO and provincial officials.

A NATO official confirmed the attack and said initial reports indicated that the airfield was not damaged.

Violence in Afghanistan has spiked even as the Taliban and Afghan government negotiators hold talks in Qatar, trying to hammer out a peace deal that could put an end to decades of war. 

At the same time, the Taliban have waged bitter battles against IS fighters, particularly in eastern Afghanistan, while continuing their insurgency against government forces.

Earlier this week, US Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, held an unannounced meeting with Taliban leaders in Doha to discuss military aspects of last February’s US-Taliban agreement.

The agreement, signed in Qatar where the Taliban maintain a political office, was intended to set the stage for direct peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.

After talks with the Taliban, Milley flew to Kabul to consult with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. He said he emphasized to both parties the need to rapidly reduce levels of violence across the country.

READ MORE: Kabul bomb blast kills deputy governor

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