'Together we will defeat all spoilers': Pak Army on Afghan peace process

The Pakistan Army on Thursday said that Pakistan and Afghanistan would "defeat all spoilers" of the Afghan peace process.  

"[The] unfortunate rise in violent incidents on both sides of [the] Pak-Afghan border is meant to derail [the] Afghanistan peace process," a statement by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) read.

"Pakistan earnestly believes that both countries deserve peace and progress. Together we will defeat all spoilers," the military's media wing added.

Prospects of peace in Afghanistan after 19 long years of war brightened last month when Kabul started releasing 400 Taliban prisoners who were described by President Ashraf Ghani as a "danger to the world".

The Afghan government and the Taliban are set to meet within days of the prisoner release being completed, in a move that has drawn widespread condemnation after it emerged many of the inmates were involved in attacks that killed scores of Afghans and foreigners.

Afghanistan VP lightly wounded in deadly Kabul blast

Afghanistan's vice president Amrullah Saleh had sustained minor injuries Wednesday when an explosion that targeted his convoy killed at least 10 people.

The attack in the capital Kabul was quickly condemned as an attempt to frustrate the peace process, with top Afghan and foreign officials calling for an end to violence so negotiations can proceed.

In a video posted on Facebook soon after the explosion, Saleh, an outspoken Taliban critic, said he had been travelling to his office when his convoy was attacked.

"I am fine but some of my guards have been wounded. My son, who was in the car with me, and I are both fine," Saleh said, with bandages on his left hand.

"I have some burns on my face and hand. The blast was strong."