At least three people died, and more than 90 people were critically injured, including dozens of children, after Taliban gunmen launched an attack on a government building in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Deadly blast
The Taliban detonated a massive car bomb during the morning rush-hour before they left the building and opening fire on security forces. The gunbattle lasted for seven hours, and it ended with all five insurgents killed, according to a report by US News.
The Taliban stated that it had targeted a facility of the defence ministry. The attack at the capital came two days after a US special envoy began the seventh round of talks with the militant group in Qatar, as they are aiming to end the war that is in its 18th year.
The blast on August 25 sent a massive plume of smoke over the Puli Mahmood Khan district. Special forces cordoned off the area, and sporadic gunfire and explosions could be heard, according to witnesses. Helicopter gunships also flew overhead.
Even though three people were confirmed to have died in the blast, the officials warned that the death toll could increase. Around 50 children who were in two schools nearby are among the wounded, as reported by Newsbreak.
Spokeswoman Nooria Nazhat said that the children were in the classrooms when the blast shattered the glass windows. An employee at the nearby culture ministry, Zaher Usman, said that when the car bomb exploded, the world "turned upside down."
Usman told AFP news agency that when he opened his eyes, the office was filled with smoke and dust and everything was broken. He also heard his colleagues screaming.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said that by attacking civilians, the Taliban was guilty of a crime against humanity.
Back in May, the Taliban attacked the Kabul office of a US aid group. The attack resulted in five deaths and 24 wounded people, as reported by BBC.
Peace talks
The Taliban have been negotiating directly with US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad since October 2019. A potential deal has emerged, and the deal would see foreign troops withdraw in return for insurgents guaranteeing that Afghan territory would not be used as a base by foreign militants.
However, there are fears about the deal, including among Afghan women, that the Taliban could see the militants sweep back into power and strip away their rights and their freedom that they have gained since they were toppled back in 2001. The Taliban has rejected any talks with the Afghan government, which calls it the "US puppet."
In July, the Taliban called for a three-day cease-fire to observe the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha. As the Afghan government push for peace talks with the Taliban, they have stopped releasing Taliban prisoners.
Last week, the Afghan government released a final 400 Taliban prisoners. Since then, the Afghan administration halted its release program. The Taliban prisoners were released in exchange for the Afghan security personnel that were held by the militants.
The prisoner swap was agreed earlier this year as a gestured ahead of the peace talks arranged by the US. However, according to the National Security Council, the prisoner swap is being placed on hold until after the peace talk happens.
