Afghan president slams Taliban for wasting opportunity for peace after deadly truck blast

Earlier on Tuesday, a car bomb went off near a military compound in Balkh province, killing four people, including one security forces member, and injuring dozens more, according to the latest reports. The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack.

"President Ashraf Ghani vehemently denounced the Taliban's terrorist attack in Balkh district of Balkh province that killed and wounded a number of our innocent fellow citizens ... Taliban’s insistence to protract their meaningless war and violence will jeopardize the unprecedented opportunity created for peace," Ghani said in a statement shared by the presidential palace.

Ghani again urged the Islamist militant group to embrace a ceasefire and engage in direct talks with his government that the Taliban hopes will lead to a withdrawal of US troops from the country.

"Protraction of such acts of criminality and violence by the Taliban will leave nothing, but a trail of hatred and resentment among the Afghans," the president added.

The attack comes amid international efforts to bring the rivals to the negotiating table. The process stalled after the prisoner swap agreed by the United States and the Taliban in February hit a roadblock earlier this month.