Explosion hits Afghan capital on first day of the new year

APPHOTO XRG106: Afghan security forces inspect the site of an explosion in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Jan. 1, 2016.

A French restaurant popular with foreigners in Kabul was the target of a New Year’s day bombing, officials said.

Italian-run Emergency Hospital in Kabul said 15 people were wounded in the attack, and a 12-year-old boy was killed.

The Taliban have stepped up attacks on high-profile targets in Afghanistan in recent months.

Ruchi Kumar, a journalist in Kabul, told the BBC that the Le Jardin restaurant is well guarded, with several heavy metal doors and security checks.

Violence has been rising as the U.S.-led worldwide military coalition in Afghanistan has scaled down and focused more on training and advising the Afghan security forces.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who said this week that terrorism had to end for the talks to succeed, condemned the latest attack.

The attacks have coincided with efforts to revive the stalled peace process with the Taliban that broke down in July. There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the attack.

Afghanistan sees Pakistan’s support as vital to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table.

But despite the growing bonhomie with Islamabad, analysts caution that any substantive talks are still a long way off. Afghan broadcaster Tolo News reported that a second person had been killed in the attack.

The Taliban attacked a restaurant popular with expats, the Taverna du Liban, in January 2014, killing 21 people, including 13 foreigners.

Observers say the intensifying insurgency highlights a push by the militants to seize more territory in a bid to wrangle greater concessions during talks.