Eid al-Adha prayers continue as rockets fired in Afghanistan

Ns News Online Desk: Rockets could be heard exploding nearby during prayers in Afghanistan to mark the start of the Muslim festival Eid al-Adha.

Worship at the presidential palace in Kabul continued despite the attack, with some appearing frightened and unsure of what to do.

The prayers were being broadcast live and President Ashraf Ghani was in attendance.

The attack came amid a rise in violence in the country, as foreign troops withdraw after 20 years. US and Nato troops are finally withdrawing from Afghanistan after 20 years of war. The Taliban, who they came to defeat, are rapidly retaking territory across the country.

How has the war changed Afghanistan, and what comes next?US and Nato troops are finally withdrawing from Afghanistan after 20 years of war. The Taliban, who they came to defeat, are rapidly retaking territory across the country.

Are the Taliban back?

The Taliban – a fundamentalist Islamist militia – were forced from power when US-led forces invaded in 2001. Democratic presidential elections and a new constitution were established, but the Taliban waged a long insurgency, gradually regaining strength and drawing more US and Nato forces into the conflict.

Now, as the US withdraws the last of its troops, the group is retaking many districts, reimposing their strict form of Sharia law.

The BBC Afghan service confirmed the situation across the country on 12 July – verifying which areas were under Taliban or government control.How many people have died since 2001?

Twenty years of fighting have left thousands of fighters dead on both sides in Afghanistan and across the border in neighboring Pakistan. Civilians have also been caught up in the conflict – dying in coalition air strikes and targeted attacks by the Taliban.How many people have died since 2001? The number of civilian died about eighty thousands. .

Twenty years of fighting have left thousands of fighters dead on both sides in Afghanistan and across the border in neighboring Pakistan. Civilians have also been caught up in the conflict – dying in coalition air strikes and targeted attacks by the Taliban.The number of civilians killed in the first three months of 2021 was “significantly higher” than a year ago, an increase attributed by the United Nations to the use of improvised explosive devices – IEDs – and targeted killings. In numbers: Life in Afghanistan after America leaves

Women and children made up 43% of civilian casualties in Afghanistan in 2020.The coronavirus pandemic has placed an additional strain on Afghanistan’s nationwide resources, and knockdowns and movement restrictions have had an impact on many people’s ability to earn money – especially in rural areas.

According to the UN’s Office for Humanitarian Affairs, more than 30% of the population are facing emergency or crisis levels of food insecurity.