Taliban claim suicide attack on Afghan peace conference starts

Taliban claim attack on Afghan peace conference

KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban have claimed responsibility for a suicide attack launched against a national peace conference in the Afghan capital.

In a telephone call to the Associated Press, militant spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said Wednesday that at around 10 a.m., a group of four suicide attackers disguised in Afghan army uniform had opened fire and attacked the “jirga,” as the conference is known.

He said they were aiming “to sabotage and destroy this peace jirga.”

He said: “Our fighters will continue fighting to the death.”

Witnesses said gunfire was continuing.

Interior Ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashary said Afghan forces were surrounding a house about 500 yards (meters) from the conference venue where militants were apparently holed up.