Two suicide bombings in Afghanistan that killed at least 28 people on February 27 have thrown the prospects of peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban in doubt.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani says his government will not hold peace talks with any militant faction that kills innocent Afghan civilians and that Afghan forces will step up their fight against terrorists.
Ghani's statement came after a suicide bomber in the eastern province of Kunar killed at least 13 people on February 27.
Hours later, a suicide bombing claimed by the Taliban killed at least 15 people near the Afghan Defense Ministry in Kabul.
Officials from Afghanistan, Pakistan, the United States, and China have been pressing for a resumption of peace talks with the Taliban in Islamabad as soon as the first week of March.
It remains unclear whether the Taliban, struggling to contain deep internal divisions, will take part.