KABUL, 31 January 2021, (TON): A suicide bomber on Saturday drove a Humvee loaded with explosives material into a Afghan defence forces protected camp in Sherzad district of Nangarhar, killing at least eight security personnel and wounding three others. The killing of the soldiers would not be confirmed by independent sources. There are claims that it was a symbolic attack in which an Afghan soldier drove his Humvee and collided accidently that caused blast.

Meanwhile, media reports claimed that Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said his group carried out the attack but Taliban officials in Nangarhar province admitted engagement with Afghan troops but declined to have carried out any suicide attack.

The symbolic attack came two days after the Pentagon said the Taliban was not living up to promises made in a deal signed with Washington last year, including reducing violence and cutting ties with Al-Qaeda.

Washington claims that the agreement required the Taliban halt attacks on US forces, sharply decrease violence, and advance peace talks with the government in Kabul while the US would steadily reduce its troops and completely withdraw all forces by May 2021.