Afghanistan: 2 female judges killed in Kabul

KABUL, Afghanistan

Two female Afghan judges were killed on Sunday when unidentified assailants opened fire on a Supreme Court vehicle in the capital Kabul, officials confirmed.

They were traveling in the official vehicle when two assailants on a motorcycle in the downtown Qala Fatehullah area began shooting indiscriminately, Supreme Court spokesman Fahem Qoyem told Anadolu Agency.

While the gunmen fled, the judges died on the spot, while two court officials and their driver suffered bullet wounds and were shifted to a hospital, he added.

No one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Last week, two female soldiers of the Afghan army were killed in the northern Balkh province as targeted attacks on journalists, activists and government officials continue.

The US embassy in Kabul asked the Taliban to cease attacks on civilians for the sake of peace. "The Taliban should understand that such actions for which it bears responsibility outrage the world and must cease if peace is to come to Afghanistan," tweeted Ross Wilson, Chargé d’Affaires to Afghanistan.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in a statement said the terrorist attack and continued violence is contrary to Islamic guidance, and urged the Taliban to accept a permanent cease-fire. “The government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan reiterates its call on the Taliban that violence and terror are not the solution."

Violence has not abated despite the ongoing intra-Afghan peace talks in Doha, Qatar aimed at ending the nearly two-decade-long conflict. The second round of dialogue started earlier this month.

Meanwhile, a US delegation led by peace broker Zalmay Khalilzad met Taliban representatives in the Gulf capital, Taliban spokesman Muhammad Naeem said.

The multilateral meeting included Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban's political office chief, Shaykh Mowlavi Abdul Hakeem Haqqani, head of the negotiating team, Khalilzad, Gen. Austin Scott Miller and Shaykh Mohammad bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani, Qatar's foreign minister.

“During the meeting, the importance and implementation of the agreement and the current situation of the country was discussed. All sides emphasized that issues should be solved via dialogue and every side should fairly fulfill its responsibilities in this regard," the Taliban spokesman tweeted.