Taliban admits killing nine militiamen but denies targeting 14 worshippers At least 14 people have been killed in attacks on a mosque in northern Afghanistan and on worshippers returning from prayers in the east, as the US peace envoy arrived in Kabul to push Afghanistan’s newly united government to start peace talks with the Taliban.

The leader of the Taliban said Wednesday that implementation of his group’s “historic” agreement with the United States was key to ending the war in Afghanistan and paving the way for U.S. troops to exit the country.

At least seven killed as gunmen open fire on worshippers offering evening prayers at a mosque in Parwan province.

The leader of the Taliban said Wednesday that militants were committed to a landmark deal with the US, despite being accused of carrying out thousands of attacks in Afghanistan since it was signed.

Airstrikes destroyed much of a health center after the militants again attacked the northern city, which they have repeatedly overrun.

Since the signing of a peace deal between the United States and the Taliban, civilian casualties in Afghanistan have increased compared with previous years, according to a new U.N. report.

Two suspected militants riding on a motorcycle opened fire on two policemen manning a roadside checkpoint on the outskirts of the capital, Islamabad, killing both of them before fleeing the scene, the police said Wednesday.

Appeals for the Taliban to extend a ceasefire with Afghan forces went unanswered Wednesday, but there were no reports of major violence and the militants said they would release some government prisoners.

President Trump has repeatedly voiced a desire to leave Afghanistan sooner than the timeline laid out in the Feb. 29 peace agreement. He may want to campaign on bringing home every soldier.

There was no other way to end the political logjam in conflict-ridden Afghanistan than to make current President Ashraf Ghani and the outgoing Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah agree to share power. Only an ascendant Afghan Taliban stood to benefit from the continued political impasse and the resulting weakening of government institutions.