The sharp explosion of a car bomb left at least eight people dead and 47 injured in the province of Herat in western Afghanistan, authorities said on Saturday. Hours later, the United Nations condemned the “alarming” increase in attacks on civilians in the country.
The death toll from Friday night’s blast, which destroyed 14 more homes, is expected to rise because several of the injured were in critical condition, said Rafiq Sherzai, a spokesman for the provincial hospital.
One of the dead and 11 of the injured were members of the Afghan security forces, while the rest were civilians, including women and children, Interior Ministry spokesman Tarq Arian detailed.
So far no one has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Hours after the incident, the UN Security Council condemned in a statement from New York the “alarming” increase in attacks on civilians in Afghan territory even though the Taliban and the Kabul government are holding talks. intermittent peace in Qatar.
“These heinous attacks have been directed at civil servants, the judiciary, the press, humanitarian and health workers, including women in prominent positions, those who protect and promote human rights, and ethnic and religious minorities,” he stressed. Tip.
The Islamic State group has blamed many of the deadly attacks on Afghanistan, while the Taliban and the government blame each other for trying to sabotage efforts to reach a peace deal.
The slow progress of the negotiations and the escalation of violence have led the United States to prepare a peace proposal, which was handed over last weekend. The two sides are expected to review and review the eight-page plan ahead of a meeting Washington proposed to be held in Turkey in a few weeks, when it hopes to see an agreement.
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Meanwhile, the United States is reviewing a peace deal the Donald Trump government signed with the Taliban that calls for the withdrawal of 2,500 U.S. troops from Afghanistan by May 1.
The growing consensus favors a postponement, but in a strong letter urging Afghan President Ashraf Ghani last week for progress in the Taliban peace process, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said all options, including troop withdrawal, were open to discussion.