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| Afghanistan: Bomb kills 63 at wedding in Kabul | Afghanistan: Bomb kills 63 at wedding in Kabul |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Burials are taking place in the Afghan capital, Kabul after a bomb exploded at a wedding hall killing 63 people and wounding more than 180. | Burials are taking place in the Afghan capital, Kabul after a bomb exploded at a wedding hall killing 63 people and wounding more than 180. |
| The Islamic State (IS) group said it was behind for the attack. | |
| The blast happened on Saturday during a wedding ceremony at around 22:40 local time (18.10 GMT). | The blast happened on Saturday during a wedding ceremony at around 22:40 local time (18.10 GMT). |
| President Ashraf Ghani has condemned the attack, describing it as "barbaric". He blamed the Taliban for "providing a platform to terrorists." | President Ashraf Ghani has condemned the attack, describing it as "barbaric". He blamed the Taliban for "providing a platform to terrorists." |
| The Taliban has denied involvement and condemned the attack. | |
| What happened? | What happened? |
| An IS statement said that one of its fighters blew himself up at a "large gathering" while others "detonated a parked explosives-laden vehicle" when emergency services arrived. | An IS statement said that one of its fighters blew himself up at a "large gathering" while others "detonated a parked explosives-laden vehicle" when emergency services arrived. |
| The Afghan interior ministry confirmed the death toll hours later. Pictures on social media showed bodies strewn across the wedding hall amid overturned chairs and tables. | The Afghan interior ministry confirmed the death toll hours later. Pictures on social media showed bodies strewn across the wedding hall amid overturned chairs and tables. |
| Afghan weddings often include hundreds of guests who gather in large halls where the men are usually segregated from the women and children. | Afghan weddings often include hundreds of guests who gather in large halls where the men are usually segregated from the women and children. |
| The groom who gave his name as Mirwais told local TV: "My family, my bride are in shock, they cannot even speak. My bride keeps fainting. | The groom who gave his name as Mirwais told local TV: "My family, my bride are in shock, they cannot even speak. My bride keeps fainting. |
| "I lost my brother, I lost my friends, I lost my relatives. I will never see happiness in my life again." | "I lost my brother, I lost my friends, I lost my relatives. I will never see happiness in my life again." |
| "I can't go to the funerals, I feel very weak ... I know that this won't be the last suffering for Afghans, the suffering will continue," he said. | "I can't go to the funerals, I feel very weak ... I know that this won't be the last suffering for Afghans, the suffering will continue," he said. |
| The bride's father told local media that 14 members of his family were killed in the attack. | The bride's father told local media that 14 members of his family were killed in the attack. |
| Wedding guest Mohammad Farhag said he had been in the women's section when he heard a huge explosion in the men's area. | Wedding guest Mohammad Farhag said he had been in the women's section when he heard a huge explosion in the men's area. |
| "Everyone ran outside shouting and crying," he told AFP news agency. | "Everyone ran outside shouting and crying," he told AFP news agency. |
| "For about 20 minutes the hall was full of smoke. Almost everyone in the men's section is either dead or wounded." | "For about 20 minutes the hall was full of smoke. Almost everyone in the men's section is either dead or wounded." |
| A waiter at the hall, Sayed Agha Shah, said "everybody was running" after the blast. | A waiter at the hall, Sayed Agha Shah, said "everybody was running" after the blast. |
| "Several of our waiters were killed or wounded," he added. | "Several of our waiters were killed or wounded," he added. |
| Writing on Twitter, president Ashraf Ghani said he had called a security meeting to "review and prevent such security lapses." | Writing on Twitter, president Ashraf Ghani said he had called a security meeting to "review and prevent such security lapses." |
| The explosion took place in the west of the city, mostly populated by Shia Muslims. | The explosion took place in the west of the city, mostly populated by Shia Muslims. |
| Sunni Muslim militants, including the Taliban and the Islamic State group, have repeatedly targeted Shia Hazara minorities in Afghanistan and Pakistan. | Sunni Muslim militants, including the Taliban and the Islamic State group, have repeatedly targeted Shia Hazara minorities in Afghanistan and Pakistan. |
| A Taliban spokesman said the group "strongly condemned" the attack. | A Taliban spokesman said the group "strongly condemned" the attack. |
| "There is no justification for such deliberate and brutal killings and targeting of women and children," Zabiullah Mujaheed said in a text message to the media. | "There is no justification for such deliberate and brutal killings and targeting of women and children," Zabiullah Mujaheed said in a text message to the media. |
| What's the background? | What's the background? |
| The latest blast comes just 10 days after a huge bomb outside a Kabul police station killed at least 14 people and injured nearly 150. | The latest blast comes just 10 days after a huge bomb outside a Kabul police station killed at least 14 people and injured nearly 150. |
| The Taliban said they carried out that attack. | The Taliban said they carried out that attack. |
| On Friday a brother of Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada was killed by a bomb planted in a mosque near the Pakistani city of Quetta. | On Friday a brother of Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada was killed by a bomb planted in a mosque near the Pakistani city of Quetta. |
| No group has so far claimed that attack. | No group has so far claimed that attack. |
| A source in Afghan intelligence told the BBC that Hibatullah Akhundzada had been due to attend prayers at the mosque and was probably the intended target. | A source in Afghan intelligence told the BBC that Hibatullah Akhundzada had been due to attend prayers at the mosque and was probably the intended target. |
| Tensions in the country have been high even though the Taliban and the US, which has thousands of troops stationed in Afghanistan, are reportedly getting closer to announcing a peace deal. | Tensions in the country have been high even though the Taliban and the US, which has thousands of troops stationed in Afghanistan, are reportedly getting closer to announcing a peace deal. |
| How are Afghan peace talks progressing? | How are Afghan peace talks progressing? |
| Taliban and US representatives have been holding peace talks in Qatar's capital, Doha, and both sides have reported progress. | Taliban and US representatives have been holding peace talks in Qatar's capital, Doha, and both sides have reported progress. |
| On Friday, US President Donald Trump tweeted that both sides were "looking to make a deal - if possible". | On Friday, US President Donald Trump tweeted that both sides were "looking to make a deal - if possible". |
| The deal would include a phased US troop pullout in exchange for Taliban guarantees that Afghanistan will not be used by extremist groups to attack US targets. | The deal would include a phased US troop pullout in exchange for Taliban guarantees that Afghanistan will not be used by extremist groups to attack US targets. |
| The Taliban would also begin negotiations with an Afghan delegation on a framework for peace including an eventual ceasefire. The militants have been refusing to negotiate with the Afghan government until a timetable for the US withdrawal is agreed upon. | The Taliban would also begin negotiations with an Afghan delegation on a framework for peace including an eventual ceasefire. The militants have been refusing to negotiate with the Afghan government until a timetable for the US withdrawal is agreed upon. |
| The Taliban now control more territory than at any point since they were forced from power in 2001. | The Taliban now control more territory than at any point since they were forced from power in 2001. |
| Are you in the area? Did you witness the incident? If it is safe to do so email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | Are you in the area? Did you witness the incident? If it is safe to do so email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below: | Or use the form below: |