Two bus bombings in Afghanistan kills at least 13 as Taliban announces cease fire for three days

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Afghanistan
Afghan National Army soldiers. © Reuters / Parwiz

Two bus bombings in Afghanistan killed at least 13 people and wounded nearly 40 others overnight. The attacks came only days after the Taliban declared a three-day truce for the upcoming Eid al-Fitr holiday.

Gul Islam Sial, the provincial governor's spokesman, said on Monday that a passenger bus was struck by a roadside bomb in the southern Afghan province of Zabul overnight. At least 11 people were killed and 28 others were injured in the attack, including women and children.

A minibus was struck by a blast just north of Kabul, the capital, in a separate incident. According to the country's Interior Ministry, the blast killed two people and wounded nine others.

Neither of the attacks has yet been asserted by a militant organization.

The deadly explosions occurred just hours after the Taliban, Afghanistan's main enemy, declared a three-day truce for the upcoming Eid al-Fitr religious holiday. Depending on the appearance of the crescent moon, Eid celebrations, which mark the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, are expected to begin on Wednesday or Thursday.

“From the first to the third day of Eid, all Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate are ordered to suspend all offensive operations against the enemy across the world. However, if the enemy launches an assault or attack against you during these days, be prepared to vigorously protect and defend yourself and your territory,” the Taliban said in a statement.

In recent weeks, Afghanistan has seen an increase in violence, with nearly regular terrorist attacks and increased fighting between government forces and the Taliban.

On Saturday, unknown assailants attacked a Kabul school, detonating at least three bombs as students were leaving the campus, in one of the deadliest incidents in recent weeks. The blasts killed at least 68 people and wounded more than 160 others, with the vast majority of the victims being female students.

Although the Afghan government quickly blamed the Taliban for the attack, the Taliban denied any involvement, condemning the school attack and blaming the Islamic State terrorist group instead.

Following US President Joe Biden's declaration that American combat troops will be withdrawn from the country by September 11, the violence has increased after two decades of deployment. The Taliban have slammed the decision, urging Washington to adhere to the May 1 deadline agreed upon by then-President Donald Trump.

Publish : 2021-05-10 17:16:00

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