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A6 WORLD NEWS
Friday 22 april 2022
Blasts across Afghanistan kill at least 10, injure dozens

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — 9% of the population of Af-
A series of explosions across ghanistan’s 36 million peo-
Afghanistan on Thursday ple, stand alone in being
killed at least 10 people targeted because of their
and wounded scores more, ethnicity distinct from the
according to police and other ethnic groups, such
hospital officials. as Tajik and Uzbek and the
No one immediately took Pashtun majority and their
responsibility for the deadly religion. Most Hazaras are
explosions, but they mostly Shiite Muslims, despised by
targeted the country’s mi- Sunni Muslim radicals like
nority Shiite Muslims and the Islamic State group,
had all the hallmarks of a and discriminated against
deadly Islamic State affili- by many in the Sunni-ma-
ate known as Islamic State jority country.
in Khorasan Province, or The Islamic State affiliate
IS-K. The worst of the three has previously targeted
attacks occurred in north- schools, particularly in the
ern Mazar-e-Sharif where Shiite-dominated Dasht-e-
at least 10 worshippers Barchi neighborhood. In
were killed as they knelt in This frame grab image from video, shows upper floor window blown out after a bomb explosion May last year, months be-
prayer, said Dr. Ghawsud- inside a mosque, in Mazar-e-Sharif province, Afghanistan, Thursday, April 21, 2022 fore the Taliban took pow-
din Anwari, head of the Associated Press er in Kabul, more than 60
main hospital in northern children. That bomb also Kunduz province, struck a The IS affiliate, which has children, mostly girls, were
Mazar-e-Sharif. Another 40 targeted the country’s mi- vehicle carrying mechan- been operating in Afghani- killed when two bombs
were injured. They were nority Shiites, striking in the ics contracted by the rul- stan since 2014, is seen as were detonated outside
brought in ambulances Dasht-e-Barchi neighbor- ing Taliban, according to the greatest security chal- their school, also in the
and private cars. hood of Kabul, dominated Matiullah Rohani, head of lenge facing the country’s Dasht-e-Barchi neighbor-
The explosion at the Sai by Afghanistan’s minority information and culture in Taliban rulers. Following hood.
Doken mosque in northern Shiite Muslims. Kunduz province. their August takeover, the Dasht-e-Barchi and other
Mazar-e-Sharif occurred Two days earlier in the Thursday’s series of dead- Taliban launched a sweep- parts of western Kabul are
as Muslims mark the holy same area, multiple explo- ly explosions comes after ing crackdown against the houses to the Shiite minori-
month of Ramadan, when sions targeting educational months of relative calm in IS headquarters in eastern ties of Afghanistan which
the faithful fast from sunrise institutions killed at least six Afghanistan and after a Afghanistan. have mostly been targeted
to sunset. people, mostly children, crackdown against the IS-K Meanwhile, advocates for by the Islamic State affiliate
Earlier Thursday in the capi- and wounded 17 others. by the country’s Taliban rul- the minority Hazaras called loyalists, however, no one
tal, Kabul, a roadside bomb A third explosion Thurs- ers in the first months follow- for a stop to the killings. Haz- has claimed credit for the
exploded and injured two day, this one in northern ing their sweep to power. aras, who make up around recent explosions.q

China’s Xi urges talks to settle disputes, opposes sanctions

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese of refusing to criticize Rus- Despite that, Xi said China Ukraine staging attacks civil war in 1949, but Chi-
leader Xi Jinping on Thurs- sia’s invasion of Ukraine remains “committed to re- and producing biological na claims the island as its
day said his government despite the conflict’s toll on specting the sovereignty weapons with U.S. coop- own territory. U.S. Defense
supports talks to resolve the Ukrainian population and territorial integrity of all eration. Xi met with Putin Secretary Lloyd Austin on
international disputes and and global security. countries” and non-interfer- in Beijing less than a month Wednesday spoke with his
opposes “wanton use” of Beijing has refused to call ence in their internal affairs. before Russia launched its Chinese counterpart for
sanctions. the conflict an invasion and “We stay committed to Feb. 24 invasion, with the the first time since becom-
Xi’s remarks confirm that said Russia was provoked peacefully resolving dif- two sides issuing a joint ing Pentagon chief more
China is sticking to its stance by NATO’s expansion. ferences and disputes be- statement affirming their than a year ago, breaking
tween countries through “no limits” relationship. a communications impasse
dialogue and consulta- China has maintained its that American officials saw
tion, support all efforts con- support for Moscow de- as increasingly dangerous.
ducive to the peaceful spite possible war crimes Austin, who calls China
settlement of crises, reject committed by Russian the U.S. military’s leading
double standards, and op- troops and says it main- long-term challenge but
pose the wanton use of uni- tains normal economic ties has been forced to focus
lateral sanctions and long- between the countries de- heavily on Russia this year,
arm jurisdiction,” Xi said in spite the imposition of eco- requested the telephone
in a televised address to an nomic sanctions by other conversation with Gen.
international forum in the nations. At a daily briefing Thursday,
southern island province of China is also believed to be Foreign Ministry spokesper-
Hainan. studying the Ukraine crisis son Wang Wenbin said Chi-
China has abstained or for how it might later affect na has “always opposed
voted with Russia on recent its policy toward Taiwan, unilateral sanctions and
In this photo released by China’s Xinhua News Agency, Chinese proposals brought before the self-governing island long-arm jurisdiction that
president Xi Jinping delivers a speech via video link to the the United Nations, and democracy it threatens lack a basis in international
opening ceremony of the Bo’ao Forum For Asia in Bo’ao in China’s state-controlled to invade to bring it un- law and are not authorized
southern China’s Hainan Province, Thursday, April 21, 2022. media have amplified Rus- der its own control. Taiwan by the (United Nations) Se-
Associated Press sian disinformation about and China split during a curity Council.” q