Commander among 20 killed in Afghan wedding blast
A suicide attacker blew himself up in a wedding hall in northern Afghanistan, killing more than 20 people, including Ahmad Khan Samangani, a well-known commander in northern Afghanistan who was also a member of parliament.
Ghulam Mohammad Khan, the criminal director of the provincial police, said more than 20 people were killed in this morning’s blast in Aybak, the capital of Samangan province.
He said other government officials also were killed in the blast and that more than 40 others were wounded.
Conflict between the Taliban – who are mostly Pashtun – and members of other ethnic groups is nothing new.
However, the Afghan government needs minority groups – loosely known as the Northern Alliance – to back its efforts to reconcile with the Taliban.
