This archive report was first published on 18 August 2019.
On August 17, 2019, a suicide bomber struck a wedding celebration in Kabul, Afghanistan, killing at least 63 people and injuring 182 others, according to Interior Ministry Spokesman Nasrat Rahimi.
The attack occurred in the city's west, where hundreds or thousands of guests had gathered for the wedding, a common and vibrant affair in Afghan culture.
Among the wounded were women and children, Rahimi said, adding that the blast was caused by a suicide bomber.
The Taliban denied any involvement in the attack, which came as Washington and the Taliban were in the final stages of a deal to reduce the US military presence in Afghanistan.
Insurgents have periodically struck Afghan weddings, which are seen as easy targets because they frequently lack rigorous security precautions.
On July 12, a suicide bomber attacked a wedding ceremony in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar, killing at least six people and injuring many others.
Expectations are rising for a deal in which the United States would start withdrawing its approximately 14,000 soldiers from Afghanistan after a two-decade war that has turned into a stalemate.
