A bomb blast in Kabul on Tuesday killed at least three civilians and wounded four others, as the Taliban and the Afghan government continue to negotiate a political settlement.
The explosion occurred around 3:50 PM local time, when a land mine detonated near a Mercedes car in the Alokhilo area of the 16th district of Kabul, according to Khalid Zadran, a spokesman for the Kabul Security Department, run by the interim Taliban administration.
Zadran said the blast was a “terrorist attack” and that security forces arrested one suspect during a search operation in the area. He did not provide any details about the identity or motive of the suspect.
The blast comes amid ongoing peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government, which have been stalled for months over issues such as power-sharing, constitutional reforms, and human rights. The talks, which began in September 2020, aim to end the decades-long conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions of people.
The Taliban, which seized control of Kabul and most of the country in August 2021, have pledged to form an inclusive government and respect the rights of women and minorities. However, many Afghans and international observers remain skeptical of the Taliban’s promises, citing reports of human rights violations, repression, and violence by the militant group.
The United Nations, which has been facilitating the peace talks, has urged both sides to reduce violence and protect civilians, especially women and children, who have been disproportionately affected by the war. The UN has also called for the preservation of the gains made by the Afghan people in the past 20 years, such as democracy, education, health, and media.
The international community, which has been providing humanitarian and development assistance to Afghanistan, has also expressed concern about the deteriorating situation in the country, which faces a severe economic crisis, a humanitarian emergency, and a COVID-19 outbreak. The World Bank estimates that more than 97% of the population could fall below the poverty line by mid-2022, unless urgent action is taken.
The blast on Tuesday is the latest in a series of attacks that have rocked Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan in recent months, despite the Taliban’s claim of restoring security and stability. The attacks have targeted civilians, government officials, journalists, activists, and religious minorities, raising fears of a return to the civil war that ravaged the country in the 1990s.