Afghans braced for a possible new wave of Taliban violence after President Donald Trump abruptly called off talks with the insurgent group, which vows to continue its fight against what it calls “foreign occupation”.
Mr Trump’s surprise weekend announcement came shortly before a string of highly sensitive days in Afghanistan, including Monday’s anniversary of the killing of anti-Taliban commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, the major Shiite Muslim holy day of Ashoura on Tuesday and Wednesday’s 9/11 anniversary.
It was not immediately clear whether the US-Taliban talks will resume and when on ending nearly 18 years of fighting.
A roadside bomb blast in the capital, Kabul, on Monday wounded three civilians, said Firdaus Faramarz, spokesman for the city’s police chief.
The local affiliate of the Islamic State group also carries out attacks in the capital, often targeting the minority Shiite community.
The blast was not in a predominantly Shiite area.
The Taliban claimed attacks on at least two districts of northeastern Takhar province overnight, with no immediate reports of casualties.
A heavy gun battle continued in the district of Khwaja Ghar but security reinforcements had arrived, said Khalil Aser, spokesman for the provincial police chief.
The group has defended the attacks, saying they were meant to strengthen its negotiating position.
The main road between Kabul and the capital of the northern province of Baghlan remained blocked, a week after the Taliban attacked Puli Khumri, and sporadic gun battles continued, said Jawad Basharat, spokesman for the provincial police chief.
Violence continued on all sides in what was the world’s deadliest conflict last year.
One woman was pregnant and lost her child and two other women were in critical condition, he said.
….an attack in Kabul that killed one of our great great soldiers, and 11 other people. I immediately cancelled the meeting and called off peace negotiations. What kind of people would kill so many in order to seemingly strengthen their bargaining position? They didn’t, they….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 7, 2019
….only made it worse! If they cannot agree to a ceasefire during these very important peace talks, and would even kill 12 innocent people, then they probably don’t have the power to negotiate a meaningful agreement anyway. How many more decades are they willing to fight?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 7, 2019
The air support was called in after the Taliban shot and killed two pro-government forces, leading to a gun battle with security forces, Mr Ansari said.
An unknown number of Taliban were killed and wounded, he said.
The Taliban have not commented on that attack.
