Over 60 killed in blast at wedding in Afghanistan

World Sunday 18/August/2019 13:11 PM
By: Times News Service
Over 60 killed in blast at wedding in Afghanistan

Kabul: At least 63 people have been killed and over 150 were wounded in an explosion targeting a wedding in the Afghan capital, state officials said on Sunday, the deadliest attack in Kabul this year.

The alleged suicide blast took place on Saturday evening in the men's reception area at the Dubai City wedding hall in western Kabul that was packed with people celebrating a marriage.

Women and children were among the casualties, Afghan Interior Ministry Spokesperson Nasrat Rahimi said on Sunday.

The attack came as the Taliban and the United States are trying to negotiate an agreement on the withdrawal of US forces in exchange for a Taliban commitment on security and peace talks with Afghanistan's US-backed government.

The Taliban denied any involvement in the attack, calling the blast "forbidden and unjustifiable.”

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani strongly condemned the "inhumane attack" in a tweet on Sunday, adding that the "Taliban cannot absolve themselves of blame, for they provide platform for terrorists.”