UPDATE 2 - Carnage at Afghan wedding kills scores

UPDATES DAESH CLAIMS ATTACK, CONDEMNATIONS, ADDS DETAILS

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - Authorities in Afghanistan on Sunday confirmed over 60 people were killed and nearly 200 injured in late last night's suicide attack at a wedding in the capital Kabul.

Interior Ministry spokesman Nusrat Rahimi told Anadolu Agency the suicide bombing at the Dubai City wedding hall on Darul Aman road has caused havoc. He confirmed women and children are among the victims, most of whom were civilians attending a wedding party.

Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted online.

The Taliban insurgents quickly denied their involvement in the attack.

However, Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said the Taliban cannot escape responsibility for this barbaric attack as they provided platform to the terrorists in the country.

“Taliban cannot absolve themselves of blame, for they provide platform for terrorists," he said.

Amid raging conflict across the country, traditional wedding parties have been an escape for the war-weary Afghans giving them some rare moments of happiness.

Footage circulating on social media showed bodies littered around the wedding hall and guests running for their lives.

The onslaught has been widely and vehemently condemned by the Afghan government and its international partners.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has described this attack as a "cowardly act of terror".

The wedding hall where the attack took place is situated in an area of the city heavily populated by Afghanistan’s Shia Muslim minority.

Many of the victims were laid to rest in joint graves on Sunday morning amid tragic scenes.

Neighboring Pakistan extended condolences to the Afghan people following the attack.

"We express our heartfelt condolences to the families of innocent victims and pray for the maghfirah [forgiveness] of the deceased and for early recovery of many others who were seriously injured in the attack," Mohammad Faisal, spokesman of Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, said in a statement.

*Islamuddin Sajid added to this report from Islamabad