3/20/2023 0 Comments Persian suicide bomber cat![]() ![]() General John Nicholson, who leads US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, recently told reporters that protecting Kabul was a priority for foreign troops. This latest suicide attack underscores the growing challenge facing Afghan and foreign forces to protect the already heavily militarised city.Īuthorities had increased security ahead of Nawrooz festivities, which militants have previously struck with deadly force. So far it has given only a muted response. The Taliban, Afghanistan’s largest militant group, faces growing pressure to take up a recent offer by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani of peace talks to end the 16-year war. Some Western and Afghan security experts believe the Haqqani Network, a hard-line wing of the Taliban, has been behind some of the attacks in Kabul in recent months, including those claimed by IS. Wednesday’s blast comes days after a Taliban suicide attacker blew up a bomb-laden car in Kabul, causing multiple casualties. Taliban and Islamic State militants have increasingly targeted the war-weary city in recent months as US and Afghan forces ramp up air strikes and ground offensives against the groups. President Ashraf Ghani, whose government has been repeatedly lambasted for its inability to protect its citizens, condemned the attack in a statement as a “crime against humanity”. IS has attacked the same shrine once before, in October 2016 when gunmen killed 18 people gathered to mark Ashura, an important date for many Muslims, especially Shiites. A man who was standing metres from where the explosion happened told Tolo that he saw “at least four bodies in blood” on the ground. So he “detonated himself among teenagers returning from there”, Kabul police chief Mohammad Daud Amin told Tolo News.īloodstains could be seen among scattered belongings on the road at the site of the attack. The blast occurred less than 200 metres from Karte Sakhi shrine where many Afghans gather every year to mark Nawrooz, which is the traditional Persian new year holiday - but had been unable to reach it due to heavy security for the holiday. The bomber, who was on foot, detonated his device in front of Kabul University and a hospital that was opposite, Rahimi said. Afghan officials often give conflicting tolls in the wake of attacks. There were fears the figure could rise, however, with the health ministry giving a higher toll of 29 people killed and 52 wounded. Another 18 people were wounded in the blast, interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said, “all of them civilians”. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |