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An attack on a party hall at a wedding in western Kabul left at least 63 dead and 182 wounded. REUTERS / Mohammad Ismail

An attack on Saturday, August 17, a wedding party west of Kabul killed at least 63 people and made 182 wounded. The attack has not been claimed yet.

With our correspondent in Kabul, Sonia Ghezali

This is one of the deadliest attacks since the beginning of the year in Afghanistan. " Among the victims, there are women and children, " said Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi on Sunday (August 18th). A huge explosion erupted in western Kabul where a majority of the Hazara community, the country's Shiite minority, live on Saturday shortly after 10:30 pm

Taliban denies their involvement

The explosion took place in the Shar Dubai wedding hall, in full ceremony. Hundreds of people were gathered, the party was in full swing and dinner was served. The first testimonies report that the explosion occurred in the part reserved for men.

The witnesses on the spot published the first videos and photos on the social networks showing horror scenes. Tables, beams and chairs spilled in puddles of blood. Many dead bodies were also lying on the ground.

At least 182 people were injured during the attack on Saturday (August 17th) in Kabul. Several of them were taken care of at the hospital to treat their wounds. REUTERS / Mohammad

Taliban spokesmen denied Sunday morning the involvement of the insurgent group. " The Islamic Emirate (as the Taliban call itself, ed) strongly condemns the attack on civilians in Kabul. Committing such deliberate and brutal killings and targeting women and children have no justification, "tweeted two Taliban spokesmen.

The Afghan branch of the Islamic State (IS) group, the other terrorist group that is carrying out attacks in this country at war, has not come forward. But the Hazara minority is regularly targeted by the Afghan branch of IS.

The people still hope for an agreement

Weddings in Afghanistan bring together several hundred guests in large complexes on the outskirts of the city. In a bombing claimed by IS on July 12, at least six people were killed and fourteen wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a ceremony in Nangarhar province in eastern Iraq . Afghanistan.

Saturday's attack comes as the Afghan people, exasperated by indiscriminate violence, hope for an agreement between the United States and the Taliban that would pave the way for peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the group. insurgent.

Several American sources suggested in recent days that an agreement could be imminent, but that some points remained to be settled. Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad , head of the US negotiating team, could return to the region in the coming days to continue or even finalize the negotiations.