Rocket Kills 26 at Afghan Wedding

A wedding party in Afghanistan got caught in the crossfire between Taliban insurgents and soldiers Wednesday, resulting in 26 casualties. A police spokesman said that at least 45 people were wounded when a rocket struck a house in the southern Helmand province’s Sangin District that was the site of a wedding celebration. Provincial council member Bashir Ahmad Shakir said that as many as 30 were killed and 60 were wounded. “Nine children of mine are missing; I just collected body parts,” said Abdul Haleem, a cousin of the bride who was hosting the wedding. “I don’t know whether it’s my children or someone else.” The attack occurred as the U.S. officially ended its combat mission in Afghanistan.