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Afghanistan: several dead in rocket attack in central Kabul

2020-08-19T09:31:13.992Z


The violence in Afghanistan continues to escalate. At least three people were killed in rocket strikes in Kabul on Tuesday. Now a well-known scientist was killed in a bomb attack.


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Security forces on the scene: More than a dozen rockets hit Kabul on Tuesday

Photo: MOHAMMAD ISMAIL / REUTERS

In the midst of the 101st Afghan Independence Day celebrations, more than a dozen rockets hit the capital Kabul on Tuesday. As has now become known, at least three people were killed and around two dozen others injured. Interior Minister Tarek Arian announced on Wednesday that two government officials were among the fatalities.

The 14 rockets were fired at the center of Kabul on Tuesday. One of the projectiles hit the grounds of the Afghan presidential palace. The famous Arg Palace is located in a highly secured district of Kabul, in which many embassies are also based.

President Ashraf Ghani gave a speech in front of the palace on Tuesday's Independence Day. At the time of the attacks, he had already finished the speech, according to the government, so he was not injured.

A statement by the Interior Ministry on Tuesday said the missiles were fired from two vehicles. In addition, two suspects were arrested. The Interior Ministry did not provide any further information about the suspects. Initially, no one confessed to the fact.

Senior Ministry of Education employee killed

Then on Wednesday a well-known scientist was killed in a bomb attack. According to official reports, unknown persons detonated a magnetic bomb on the car of Abdul Baghi Amin, the director of the Science Council. His driver was injured, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Education said. Initially, no one confessed to this attack either.

Meanwhile, the government and the militant Islamist Taliban are planning peace talks to end the decades-long conflict in the country. In the past few days, however, another dispute had broken out over the controversial release of Taliban fighters classified as particularly dangerous; it was the most important demand of the Islamists before peace negotiations. There is still no date for the start of the talks.

Afghan women's rights activist Fausia Kufi was injured in the arm in a murder attack on Friday. She is one of four women in the 21-strong Kabul delegation for the planned peace talks.

There have already been targeted attacks on human rights activists, activists and religious representatives in the past few months. Experts see this as an attempt to intimidate and weaken Afghan civil society before the planned peace talks.

The USA signed an agreement with the Taliban on February 29 that provides for the withdrawal of international troops. In return, the Taliban should guarantee that Afghanistan will no longer pose a terrorist threat. The agreement also required the Taliban to hold peace talks with the government; a prisoner exchange to build trust had been agreed.

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asc / dpa / AFP

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2020-08-19

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