"We were in the middle of the ceremony when the gunfire erupted," she told AFP in a frail voice. The Sunni-extremist IS had claimed an attack on the same ceremony last year, which killed 11, and have in the past targeted Hazaras who are predominantly Shia Muslim. The devastating attack, which came days after the Taliban decided to halt a partial truce, ended a brief reprieve for Afghans weary of violence. Apparent differences between the US-Taliban agreement signed in Qatar and a separate joint US-Afghan declaration made in Afghanistan underline the obstacles facing negotiators. The Doha deal committed to the release of prisoners, while the Kabul document only required both sides to determine "the feasibility of releasing" captives.

Source: Dhaka Tribune March 07, 2020 16:52 UTC