Taliban Claims Responsibility for Targeting Tolo TV Workers

A suicide auto bomb attack close to the Russian embassy in the capital, Kabul, has killed many people and wounded more than a dozen, an Afghan official said Wednesday.

The meeting came less than a week after diplomats from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States met in Kabul and called on the Taliban to resume peace talks with the Afghan government.

A Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, claimed responsibility for the attack using a known Twitter account.

OMAR SOBHANI/REUTERS Firefighters inspect the wreckage of a bus hit by a suicide bomb attack in Kabul, Afghanistan on Wednesday. The attack on staff returning from work at the privately owned station injured 27 others, including 26 staff, according to Tolo TV.

“Afghan insurgents should respect the right for journalists to operate without fear for their lives from deliberate targeted attacks”, Gossman said.

Afghanistan’s parliament building and the Russian Embassy are on the road where the blast occurred.

“The Taliban openly threatened to target the station previous year after it reported allegations of summary executions, rape and kidnappings by Taliban fighters during the battle for the city of Kunduz”.

“At least six non-military people were killed in the attack”, Salangi said. The tweet said Tolo TV was the target.

Human Rights Watch a year ago warned about growing violence and intimidation against journalists in Afghanistan by Taliban insurgents, warlords and the government. By “revealing the truth to the public, the media become unacceptable for the Taliban”, he said.

Observers have speculated that the attacks could be aimed at destabilising attempts to revive peace talks with Taliban, but there is no confirmation.

Under previous rules, the US military was able to conduct airstrikes in Afghanistan in three circumstances: to protect foreign forces; to help Afghan troops ward off an enemy onslaught; and to target al-Qaida and affiliated militants.

The relatively poor, war-torn nation of Afghanistan has been one such locale, with President Ashraf Ghani warning the U.S. Congress last March about the “terrible threat” the group poses to his country and its neighbors.