Taliban insurgents set off a truck bomb on Tuesday in an attack on Afghan army commandos, killing three people and wounding 41, the defence ministry said, despite steps towards peace talks with the U.S.-backed government.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the blast in the northern province of Balkh, saying on Twitter they had attacked the commandos.
The blast came as a Taliban delegation visited the Pakistani capital to discuss a peace process underpinned by an agreement between the Taliban and the United States on the withdrawal of U.S. forces in exchange for Taliban security guarantees and a promise to open power-sharing talks with the government.
Diplomats say Pakistan, which has long had influence over different Afghan factions, including the Taliban, has in recent months been pushing for a reduction in violence.
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