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Attack Targets Friday Prayers in Afghanistan

by Ayesha Tanzeem

   ISLAMABAD --

   A suicide attack inside on a mosque inside a military base in Khost
   province in Afghanistan killed at least 12 people and wounded 30
   others, according to Hukm Khan Habibi, the provincial governor.
   Captain Abdullah, a spokesman for the Afghan National Army said the
   explosion happened during Friday prayers when attendance is higher than
   usual.
   The Afghan news channel Tolo said those killed were all from the 2nd
   Regiment of Afghan National Army in Mandozai district.
   Investigations continued to determine the type of explosion.
   The attack happened two days after a [1]suicide blast killed dozens in
   Kabul during a religious ceremony.

   Security in Afghanistan has steadily deteriorated, with the United
   Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) recording the highest
   number of civilians killed and wounded, almost 1700, between January
   and June this year. This month, President Ashraf Ghani revealed that
   nearly 30,000 Afghan security personnel have been killed since the
   beginning of 2015, when Afghans took over the responsibility of
   securing the country from NATO.

   The United States is trying to jumpstart negotiations with the Taliban
   to help find a road map to peace. U.S. Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad
   was in the region for more than a week this month. He met Taliban
   representatives in Doha, Qatar, as well as various factions of Afghan
   society.
   Talking to media, Khalilzad said he was "cautiously optimistic" about
   the chances of progress.
   "I think there is an opportunity for reconciliation and peace," he
   said.
   President Donald Trump said that his administration was involved in
   "very strong" peace negotiations in Afghanistan. However, he did not
   indicate whether he was hopeful of their success.

References

   1. https://www.voanews.com/a/deadly-blast-strikes-religious-gathering-in-kabul/4666237.html