Bombing in Afghanistan- 63 deaths / 180 injured

Kabul wedding blast: Groom has 'lost hope' after deadly attack

Reuters

Mirwais Elmi told Tolo News he would "never see happiness in my life again"
The bridegroom whose wedding was targeted by a suicide bomber in the Afghan capital Kabul says he has "lost hope" after the deadly attack.
In a TV interview, Mirwais Elmi said his bride survived but his brother and other relatives were among the 63 people killed in Saturday's attack.
The Islamic State group has admitted carrying out the bombing, which also wounded more than 180.

President Ashraf Ghani described the attack as "barbaric".

He blamed the Taliban for "providing a platform to terrorists". The Taliban, who are engaged in peace talks with the US, condemned the attack.

In the interview with Tolo News, Mirwais Elmi recalled greeting smiling guests in the packed wedding hall only to see their bodies carried out hours later.

"My family, my bride are in shock, they cannot even speak. My bride keeps fainting," he said.

"I've lost hope. I lost my brother, I lost my friends, I lost my relatives. I will never see happiness in my life again.

"I can't go to the funerals, I feel very weak ... I know that this won't be the last suffering for Afghans, the suffering will continue," he added.

The bride's father told Afghan media that 14 members of his family had died in the attack.

What happened?

An IS statement said that one of its fighters blew himself up at a "large gathering" while others "detonated a parked explosives-laden vehicle" when emergency services arrived.

The attack took place in a district populated mainly by Shia Muslims.

Sunni Muslim militants, including the Taliban and the Islamic State group, have repeatedly targeted Shia Hazara minorities in Afghanistan and Pakistan.