At least 10 mine clearers working for Halo Trust in Afghanistan’s northern province of Baghlan have been shot dead, and more than a dozen wounded. Afghan officials blamed the Taliban, saying militants “started shooting everyone” in the compound. But Halo Trust CEO James Cowan told the BBC that “the local Taliban… came to our aid and scared the assailants off”. The Taliban also denied the attack. Violence has surged since the US began to withdraw its last troops on 1 May. The departure of international troops comes amid deadlock in peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.(BBC)…[+]