At least 8 dead in Kabul rocket attack
- by Lorene Schwartz
- in People
- — Nov 25, 2020
The United States announced last week that another 2,000 U.S. troops will exit Afghanistan by January 15 - less than a week before Joe Biden is set to take over as president - leaving just 2,500 behind.
"A breakthrough is reported from Doha as the two negotiating teams have agreed to include the US-Taliban deal, United Nations endorsements for Afghan peace process, commitments of the negotiating teams and will of the Afghan people as the base for upcoming negotiations [sic]", Afghanistan's Tolo News reported on November 22.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack and Zabihullah Mujahid, Taliban spokesman, said the group was not involved.
The visit comes at a crucial time for Afghanistan as government negotiators and the Taliban hold US-brokered negotiations in Qatar to chart a course for a post-war Afghanistan. Accordng to the 1TVNews broadcaster, citing the Afghan Health Ministry, the death toll from the blasts has reached 8, while at least 31 people were injured.
The Qatar visit is the latest stop on a 10-day, seven-nation tour of the Middle East and Europe that began last week.
Abdullah Abdullah, the head of Afghanistan's High Council for Reconciliation, condemned the Kabul attack in a tweet, calling it a "cowardly" act.
"We congratulate both countries on emphasis Joint Vision places on: 1) preventing either's territory to be used against the other, 2) inclusive governance, 3) stronger people/govt/security ties, 4) more integrated econ connectivity, trade & dvp-linking CentralAsia, Pak & Afg", he added. The Pentagon now says some 2,500 troops will leave by January, just days before President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, leaving another 2,000 or so US forces in place.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (L) meets with Qatars Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani (R), both mask-clad due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, in the capital Doha on November 21, 2020.
Biden, in a rare point of agreement, also advocates winding down the Afghanistan war although analysts believe he will not be as wedded to a quick timetable.
Israeli PM flew to Saudi Arabia, met crown prince
The Trump administration , as well as Netanyahu, would love to add the Saudis to that list before it leaves office in January. It would be the first known meeting between leaders of the historical foes, who the U.S. wants to normalise ties.
This will be Khan's first visit to Afghanistan since assuming office over two years ago.
The negotiations quickly became bogged down by disputes on the agenda, the basic framework of discussions and religious interpretations.
This makes donors uneasy over whether the hardline Islamists will try to roll back progress on human rights and girls' education.
Some witnesses say that "more than 10 rockets" have hit different parts of the city, including the Pul-e-Mahmood Khan area.
Pandey has observed that Pakistan wants a government in Afghanistan that is pro-Pakistan and anti-India but has failed to convince Afghan leadership to opt for such measures.
The Taliban have pledged not to attack urban areas under the terms of a United States withdrawal deal, but the Kabul administration has blamed the insurgents or their proxies for other recent attacks in Kabul.
Since peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban stalled in the Qatari capital of Doha, attacks by the Taliban and other extremist groups have been on the rise, especially in the capital that is home to more than five million Afghans.
The local Islamic State affiliate issued a statement claiming the attack that targeted the so-called Green Zone in Kabul, which houses foreign embassies, the presidential palace and Afghan military compounds, according to the SITE Intelligence Group.
