Seven civilians, including two women, died in addition to the bomber while 25 civilians were wounded as a result of the explosion, Rahimi said citing initial information.
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Analysts say that the Taliban’s recent attacks highlight its intent to capture more territory in the country in order to have greater negotiating power during peace talks. Tolo is among Afghanistan’s most credible media outlets and was the first 24-hour news station in the country.
The New York-based group said journalists have been consistently threatened by the insurgents, including in December 2014, when the Taliban “explicitly threatened to attack any journalists seen as supporting Western values”. The statement explicitly listed TOLO TV as a target for allegedly serving as information warfare tool of the American forces.
An attack carried out by Taliban militants in Afghanistan Wednesday evening was widely condemned Thursday, including by some of the country’s leading religious authority. The tweet said Tolo TV was the target.
Afghan policeman keep watch near the site of a blast, in an area close to the Russian embassy in the west of the capital of Kabul, Afghanistan January 20, 2016.
Tolo TV is owned by Moby Group, a private media company headquartered in Dubai.
An injured victim from yesterday’s suicide attack near the Russian…
A statement from the embassy said killing those who worked to enlighten, educate and entertain would not stop the Afghans from exercising their universal human right to freedom of expression.
A Russian Foreign Ministry source told Interfax news agency that the attack was not directed at its embassy, according to a Reuters report.
Under its late leader Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda long called the mountainous Asian nation its home, and it continues to have a presence there.
According to the Palace, President Ghani and US Vice President Joe Biden also emphasized on practical steps regarding the Afghan peace process where an agreement was reached to ascertain the exact date of talks to discuss practical steps to maintain peace and stability in Afghanistan.
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Formed in the 1990s, the Taliban seeks to enforce Sharia law in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan. Many of these new recruits are disaffected Taliban, a fact that may have played into Russia’s recent decision to share intelligence pertinent to fighting ISIS with the Taliban, its historic foe.
