March 09, 2018•Update: March 09, 2018
By Sadik Kedir
ANKARA
Turkey on Friday condemned the "heinous” terrorist attacks which killed at least 27 people in Afghanistan's capital Kabul and northeastern Takhar province on Friday.
“We learned with deep sorrow that a terrorist attack, targeting a commemoration ceremony in Kabul, resulted in a loss of lives of many Afghan brothers and sisters," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
A suspected suicide bombing killed at least 10 people when the Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan belonging to the ethnic Shia community was marking the 23rd death anniversary of its slain leader, Abdul Ali Mazari.
Meanwhile, another militant attack killed 17 security forces in northeastern Takhar province.
The statement also wished a "speedy recovery to the wounded “and sent “condolences to the brotherly Government and people of Afghanistan."
There has been a momentous rise in violence across Afghanistan since the announcement of a new U.S. war strategy in August last year, which allowed American forces more resources and authority to target the rebels.
Since then, the militants have been increasingly targeting capital Kabul while the U.S. and Afghan forces have intensified air-and-ground offensives against them.
More than 10,000 civilians have been killed or injured during 2017 in Afghanistan, according to the latest annual UN report.
