Updated Aug 18, 2019

Islamic State claims responsibility for Kabul wedding bombing

Rebecca Falconer

Afghan men investigate in a wedding hall after a deadly bomb blast in Kabul on August 18 — Afghan investigators at the scene of the deadly wedding hall bomb blast in Kabul. Photo: Wakil Kohsar/AFP/Getty Images

A suicide bombing at a Kabul wedding party killed at least 63 people and wounded 182 others Saturday night, the Interior Ministry said.

What's new: The Islamic State's local affiliate claimed responsibility for the bombing, according to AP. It's the deadliest attack in Kabul this year and comes as the U.S. and the Taliban are in the midst of negotiating a U.S. troop withdrawal deal, AP reports.

The big picture: The bombing took place at the Dubai City wedding hall in western Kabul, where many in the minority Shiite Hazara population live.

The Afghan government has been sidelined from U.S. withdrawal negotiations, with government officials saying earlier Saturday they were waiting to hear the results of President Trump’s meeting Friday with his national security team about the talks, per AP.
The Taliban denied it was involved in the bombing, which it "strongly condemned," the BBC reports.

Go deeper: U.S. pushes toward “face-saving way out" of Afghanistan

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

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Islamic State claims responsibility for Kabul wedding bombing

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