15 people lost their lives when attackers set off a truck bomb in eastern Nangarhar of Afghanistan, injuring dozens of peope according to provincial officials, as violence continues in the war-torn nation despite peace talks taking place in Qatar.
Provincial government spokesperson, Attaullah Khugyani said, “The number of casualties, most of whom were civilians, could rise and that dozens of people were also injured by the blast in Ghani Khel district.”
Obaidullah Shinwari, the Nangarhar provincial council’s member, said 52 people were injured in the blast.
Ministry of Interior spokesman Tariq Arian blamed the insurgent Taliban for the attack and he further said that in the last two weeks they had carried atleast 650 attacks which had killed 69 civilians and wounded 141 people.
The Afghan government negotiators are trying to hold talks with Taliban in Doha in hope to end the decades long conflict but Taliban has rejected all sorts of invitations from government and international communities for a ceasefire reduction or violence.
The Ministry of Interior in a Tweet mentioned that Afghan forces had killed a key member of the Taliban and arrested five others on Friday night in northern Balkh province.