Terrorist attacks in Afghanistan leave dozens dead and injured

Monday marked the 100th anniversary of Afghanistan’s independence, but two terror attacks on civilians have cast a pall on any celebration. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack Saturday night at a wedding ceremony in Kabul that left 63 people dead and 182 injured. And on Monday, 10 explosions in Jalalabad injured about 66 people.

What does this mean for the peace process in Afghanistan? The latest attacks leave Afghans unsure whether peace talks with the Taliban will guarantee their safety. The United States has continued to push for a deal with the extremist group, hoping it will help impede the rise of Islamic State in the country. The Taliban, which mostly targets security and foreign forces, condemned the wedding attack as “forbidden and unjustifiable.” On Monday, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani pledged to clear out all of Islamic State’s safe havens: “We will take revenge for every civilian drop of blood.”

Dig deeper: Read my analysis on how the insurgency has affected Afghanistan’s political situation.