Car bomb kills 26 during Eid ceasefire in east Afghanistan

At least 26 people have been killed following a car bomb at a gathering of Taliban and Afghan armed forces in the eastern city of Nangarhar, as soldiers and militants in the country celebrated an unprecedented ceasefire.


Dozens of unarmed Taliban militants had earlier entered the Afghan capital and other cities to celebrate, coinciding with the end of the Ramadan fasting season, as soldiers and militants exchanged hugs and took selfies on their smartphones.

But in some provinces the insurgents were carrying rocket launchers, grenades and other ammunition.

A spokesman for the provincial governor of Nangarhar confirmed a car bomb was responsible for the attack in the town.

The spokesman had earlier said a rocket-propelled grenade was to blame.

So-called Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the group's Amaq news agency.

The agency said the attack targeted "a gathering of Afghan forces" in Nangarhar but gave no details.
  (RTE)
 16/6/18