Islam Times - Taliban Bombing Kills Afghan Candidate in Helmand

Islam Times - Afghan candidate Abdul Jabar Qahraman was killed on Wednesday by a bomb planted under his chair in the southern province of Helmand days before the parliamentary elections.

Taliban terrorist group claimed responsibility for the deadly attack that also killed three people and wounded seven more.

The MP, Abdul Jabar Qahraman, was killed as he prepared for Saturday’s election, a senior government official said, becoming the 10th candidate killed in the past two months, with two more abducted and four wounded by hardline Islamist militants.

Twenty two people were also killed last week in a bombing that targeted an election rally in Afghanistan’s northeastern Takhar Province.

Taliban terrorists have called on the Afghans to boycott the long-delayed parliamentary elections across the country, vowing to disrupt the voting.

The militants, however, have also declared recently that they are about to resume talks with US officials in the Qatari capital of Doha.

US-based newspaper The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday that Washington’s special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad had reportedly met with Taliban representatives in Qatar, despite their persisting terror campaign across the country.

Local security officials regard the increased attacks by the militants as part of a strategy to establish a strong position to impose their demands if formal peace talks begin.

The US invaded Afghanistan in 2001, toppling a Taliban regime in control of most of the country at the time. The administration of US President Donald Trump is struggling to find a way out of the costly conflict as the Taliban have managed to partially reassert themselves in several provinces by taking control of certain areas.

Kabul blames the Taliban for the bulk of more than 8,000 deaths in Afghanistan since the start of 2018.