REVIEW - Coffins Not Enough In Aftermath Of Savage Kabul Wedding Attack

KABUL (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th August, 2019) The war in Afghanistan has often been deadly for civilians, and this weekend's deadly wedding attack was no exception as the country's war enters a new phase despite peace talks that have so far failed to reach a breakthrough.

Attacks and bombings unexpectedly happen all across the country, and nowhere is secure enough, including mosques, schools, private facilities and hotels where huge crowds of civilians gather and where people use roads that are planted by mines. This war has been deadly not only for heavily-backed Afghan forces, but civilians, particularly a Shiite minority with least protection provided by the government.

In the latest bombing Saturday night, a suicide bomber hit a wedding ceremony in the west of capital Kabul, a vastly Shiite populated area, killing at least 63 people and wounding nearly 200. Islamic State (IS, terrorist group banned in Russia) claimed responsibility.

The country's minority has been given light arms after a series of attacks, claimed by IS, hit mosques and schools. But these measures have so far failed to prevent the series of incidents that hit the group.

For the minority, even holding a funeral for victims is not secure enough despite guards, mostly Shiite, protecting mosques. Even those attend the funeral undertake a huge risk.

The Saturday hotel bombing has been another blow for the group marking another deadly day in the history of Afghanistan's war. Saturday night's victims were mostly women, men and young boys aged from seven, according to relatives of victims.

A Sputnik correspondent in Kabul followed the incident from the start and visited several funerals and a mosque where there were not enough coffins for all the victims.

As the bodies were waiting at the mosque for coffins, at least three mullahs were weaving new coffins. There was a lot more to do to cover all of the victims with the smell of blood filling the mosque and screams coming from the women's funeral hall.

"My brother has just disappeared in the bombing, I lost seven of my cousins, their bodies are being washed at the mosque, whenever I go to any hospital to search for him, they decline and tell me to come later, I don't know what to do, I'm losing my mind." Noor Muhammad, a 28-year-old woman, told Sputnik.

While it is often hard to talk to the victims as almost all behave with anger, Sputnik made rare access to the mosque and interviewed the father of two who were killed last night.

"I don't want to be interviewed, I lost everything, everything I had, what should I do now?" the father of a 13-year-old boy and another teenager who lost their life in the bombing told Sputnik.

The attack has widely been condemned across the country and worldwide, with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani canceling an electoral rally and holding an extraordinary security meeting.

The bombing comes a day before the centenary of the country's independence but celebrations have been disrupted. A statement released by the government said that "the inauguration ceremony of Darul Aman Palace has been halted to commemorate the victims."

Saturday's bombing was not the only one that happened in the country. In the northern province of Balkh, 11 civilians were killed when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Dawlat Abad District Sunday hours after the Kabul hotel bombing.

Roadside bombs has been the main cause of civilian casualties planted by militants to hit enemies' vehicles.

In the neighboring province Ghazni, three civilians were killed and three more were wounded in a militant attack in the Waez District.

The series of incidents come as Taliban and the United States have engaged in a year-long peace process that has not reached a breakthrough but reports of progress.

"The exact date of signature of agreement with the US is not specific yet. Whenever the details are finalized, we will decide about the announcement. We are sure that independence will happen again that the entire nation will proud of," Taliban's political spokesman, Suhail Shaheen, wrote on Twitter.

On Friday, Taliban supreme leader's brother, Hafez Ahmadullah, was killed during Friday prayer, with reports saying that several nephews of Haibatullah, the supreme leader of Taliban, were killed in the bombing.

A Taliban source said the bombing will have no effect on the peace talks.

"The Peace talks are aimed at ending the conflict in Afghanistan, the death of Mr. Ahmadullah will not affect the peace negotiations with US and it will continue as usual," a Taliban source told Sputnik.

No militant group has claimed responsibility for the bombing.