Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada was not in the mosque near Quetta when a bomb went off but his younger brother, Hafiz Ahmadullah, was leading Friday prayers and was among four people killed, several Taliban officials have said. There was no claim of responsibility for the blast that came after both Taliban and US officials have reported progress in talks on an agreement centered on a US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in exchange for a Taliban security guarantee.
Archiv: Zalmay Khalilzad
Deadly blast rips through wedding in Afghanistan, killing 63 people
The Afghan Taliban denied any responsibility for the attack, with spokesman Zabiullah Mojahid saying they condemn the suicide attack on civilians.
The venue is in western Kabul, an area home to many of Afghanistan‘s Shiite Hazara minority. It is also near the Darul Aman palace, where President Ashraf Ghani is expected to celebrate Afghan Independence Day on Monday.
Afghanistan wedding hall blast: more than 60 killed, 180 injured
Afghanistan’s president, Ashraf Ghani, said on Sunday the Taliban could not escape blame for the “barbaric” suicide bomb attack.
“The Taliban cannot absolve themselves of blame for they provide platform for terrorists,” Ghani said in a post on Twitter.
Just completed a very good meeting on Afghanistan. Many on the opposite side of this 19 year war, and us, are looking to make a deal – if possible!
(16.08.2019)
Trump Gets Update From Aides on Afghan Peace Plan With Troop Pullout Possible
President Donald Trump was briefed on Friday by top national security advisers on the status of negotiations with the Taliban on a US troop pullout from Afghanistan and the potential for a political settlement between the warring sides.
There was no indication that any conclusions were reached at the session, which took place in a secure conference room at Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
Eighth round of U.S., Taliban peace talks to start in Doha Aug. 3: officials
Two sources with knowledge of the talks said an agreement on the withdrawal of foreign forces in exchange for security guarantees by the Taliban is expected before Aug.13
About 20,000 foreign troops, most of them American, are now in Afghanistan as part of a U.S.-led NATO mission to train, assist and advise Afghan forces.
Afghanistan-Friedensgespräche offenbaren Debakel des „Kriegs gegen den Terror“
Was die Sachkosten betrifft, so hat der Afghanistan-Krieg nach vorsichtigen Schätzungen über eine Billion Dollar aus Ressourcen gestrichen, mit denen die lebenswichtigen sozialen Bedürfnisse der US-Bevölkerung gedeckt werden könnten: von Arbeitsplätzen und menschenwürdigem Lebensstandard bis hin zu Bildung und Gesundheitsversorgung.
Der mit der Invasion Afghanistans eingeleitete „Krieg gegen den Terror“ wurde als Vorwand für einen Frontalangriff auf die demokratischen Rechte benutzt, einschließlich der Verabschiedung des Patriot Act von 2001, der Verbreitung von ungehinderter Spionage, der „außerordentlichen Überstellungen“, der unbefristeten Inhaftierung, Folter und Militärgerichte, darunter die Foltergefängnisse von Guantánamo und der CIA, sowie der Militarisierung von Polizeibehörden und der Verfolgung von Muslimen und Einwanderern. Regierungen auf der ganzen Welt sind dem Beispiel der USA gefolgt; alle bereiten sich, wie Washington selbst, auf eine Konfrontation mit ihrem gefährlichsten Feind, der Arbeiterklasse, vor.