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Attack Kills 8 in Afghanistan as President Visits Doha

Ayesha Tanzeem

   KABUL - A car bomb attack on the convoy of the governor of
   Afghanistan's Laghman province killed at least eight people, including
   four of the governor's bodyguards. Governor Rahmatullah Yarmal survived
   but was wounded, along with at least 40 others.

   Yarmal's spokesman, Asadullah Dawlatzai, said several civilians were
   killed in the early Monday attack in the provincial center.

   Separately, Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani arrived in Doha
   Monday where he will meet the Afghan team negotiating with the Taliban,
   according to Dawa Khan Meenapal, the deputy presidential spokesman.

   After nearly three weeks of talks that started on September 12, the
   teams are still negotiating the ground rules for what are widely
   expected to be long, complicated and grueling discussions.

   The Taliban want their agreement with the United States, which was
   signed in February, to serve as a pillar of future negotiations. That
   deal allowed for a comprehensive ceasefire between the two sides to be
   "announced along with the completion and agreement over the future
   political roadmap of Afghanistan."

   The Afghan negotiating team wants the process to be based on the
   recommendations of a loya jirga, or a traditional grand assembly of
   Afghans that has called for an immediate ceasefire, as well as
   preserving the Afghan constitution and the democratic system of
   governance during the negotiations.

   A ceasefire is a high priority for the Afghan team and the Afghan
   government. However, analysts believe the Taliban would not agree to a
   comprehensive ceasefire since their ability to attack and create chaos
   is what gives them the leverage at the negotiation table.

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