ISIS Kills 63 People in Afghanistan Suicide Bombing

The Islamic State (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing last night at an Afghanistan wedding, killing 63 people and injuring 200 more. “Survivors said the bomber was standing by a stage where children and adults were dancing and clapping when he detonated his explosives vest,” The Guardian reports. Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani says he “strongly condemn[s] the inhumane attack” and while ISIS has carried out the bombing the “Taliban cannot absolve themselves of blame, for they provide platform for terrorists.” The attack comes in the midst of ongoing negotiations among the Taliban and joint Afghanistan-United States forces to end the 18-year war. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had stated just a day prior that the United States “remain[s] committed to achieving a comprehensive peace agreement,… bringing Afghans together to work towards peace.” Yesterday’s attack, being reported as the deadliest in the region’s history, comes only one one week after a Taliban-led suicide bombing in Afghanistan killed 14 civilians, injuring 140 more.

1. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-blast/islamic-state-claims-afghan-wedding-suicide-blast-that-killed-63-idUSKCN1V70K6
2. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/17/dozens-feared-dead-or-wounded-after-afghan-wedding-hall-blast
3. https://twitter.com/ashrafghani/status/1162969352473317377
4. https://apnews.com/90d5cd5874ea4b0991e17cd6f3d7aa2c
5. https://twitter.com/SecPompeo/status/1162496985032798208
6. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/08/dozens-wounded-large-explosion-rocks-kabul-190807060332103.html