Rocket Hits Afghan Gov’t Compound, 16 Children Wounded
KABUL (Reuters) – A rocket hit the provincial governor’s compound in Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province on Monday during a religious ceremony, wounding at least 16 children, local officials said, blaming Taliban militants.
Fighting between the Afghan government and the Taliban has increased across the country recently as peace talks failed to make progress despite international calls to reduce violence.
Iqbal Sayeed, the governor of Kunar, said a Taliban rocket hit the compound’s hall as a holy Qur’an recitation competition was taking place.
At least 16 children, three Afghan security force members and religious affairs officials were wounded, Sayeed said, and some children are in critical condition.
The Taliban, fighting to overthrow the foreign-backed Afghan government since they were toppled by U.S.-led troops in late 2001, said they were aware of the incident and investigating.
The Afghan government says since the announcement by U.S. President Joe Biden this month of plans to withdraw American combat troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, the Taliban have stepped up attacks on Afghan security forces.
More than a hundred Afghan civilians and security forces have been killed in fighting in the last 10 days and many more wounded, according to government officials.
A roadside bomb hit an army vehicle in the eastern city of Jalalabad on Monday, wounding six people.
Taliban militants killed eight members of a police public protection unit in southeastern Logar province on Sunday, police spokesman Gul Haidar Ahmadi said.
Peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban in Qatar’s capital Doha have stalled. A Washington-backed Afghan conference in Turkey scheduled for April 24 has been postponed due to the Taliban’s non-participation.
Nearly 1,800 Afghan civilians were killed or wounded in the first three months of 2021 during fighting between government forces and Taliban militants, the United Nations said.
Fighting between the Afghan government and the Taliban has increased across the country recently as peace talks failed to make progress despite international calls to reduce violence.
Iqbal Sayeed, the governor of Kunar, said a Taliban rocket hit the compound’s hall as a holy Qur’an recitation competition was taking place.
At least 16 children, three Afghan security force members and religious affairs officials were wounded, Sayeed said, and some children are in critical condition.
The Taliban, fighting to overthrow the foreign-backed Afghan government since they were toppled by U.S.-led troops in late 2001, said they were aware of the incident and investigating.
The Afghan government says since the announcement by U.S. President Joe Biden this month of plans to withdraw American combat troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, the Taliban have stepped up attacks on Afghan security forces.
More than a hundred Afghan civilians and security forces have been killed in fighting in the last 10 days and many more wounded, according to government officials.
A roadside bomb hit an army vehicle in the eastern city of Jalalabad on Monday, wounding six people.
Taliban militants killed eight members of a police public protection unit in southeastern Logar province on Sunday, police spokesman Gul Haidar Ahmadi said.
Peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban in Qatar’s capital Doha have stalled. A Washington-backed Afghan conference in Turkey scheduled for April 24 has been postponed due to the Taliban’s non-participation.
Nearly 1,800 Afghan civilians were killed or wounded in the first three months of 2021 during fighting between government forces and Taliban militants, the United Nations said.