Suicide attackers, gunmen hit central Kabul
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H2O3C4Nitrogen
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Taliban launches brazen attack on Kabul
An Afghan National Army soldier keeps watch as smoke billows from a building where Taliban-linked militants and security forces clashed in Kabul on Monday.
KABUL - Taliban militants struck in the heart of the Afghan capital Monday, launching suicide attacks at key government targets in a clear sign the insurgents plan to escalate their fight as the U.S. and its allies ramp up their own campaign to end the war. At least five people, including a child, were killed and nearly 40 wounded, officials said.
After a series of blasts and more than three hours of ensuing gunfights outside several ministries and inside a shopping mall, President Hamid Karzai said security had been restored to the capital, though search operations continued amid reports that attackers were hiding in the city.
It was the biggest attack in the capital since Oct. 28 when gunmen with automatic weapons and suicide vests stormed a guest house used by U.N. staff, killing at least 11 people including three U.N. staff.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told The Associated Press that 20 armed militants, including some with suicide vests, had entered Kabul to target the presidential palace and other government buildings in the center of the capital.
Explosions and heavy machine-gun fire rattled the city for hours. Debris was strewn on the streets, which were quickly abandoned by crowds that normally fill the area. Defense Ministry spokesman Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi said a child and a policeman were killed. The Ministry of Public Health later said five people — a civilian and four security forces — were killed and 30 others wounded.
Four militants also were killed, including two suicide bombers who detonated their explosives, and Afghan forces were searching several other areas in the city for more attackers, Azimi said.
Cabinet swearing in
The attack unfolded on a day in which confirmed Cabinet members were sworn in by Karzai despite the rejection by parliament of the majority of his choices. Presidential spokesman, Waheed Omar, said the swearing-in had occurred as scheduled and everybody in the palace was safe.
The first blast was heard shortly before 10 a.m. in an area where government buildings are concentrated, including the presidential palace, the central bank and the luxury Serana Hotel, which is frequented by Westerners.
Azimi said a rocket slammed into the street near the bank's gate, but there were conflicting reports that the area had been struck by a suicide bomber or grenades.
Mohib Safi, the bank's deputy governor, said employees heard a strong explosion followed by gunfire. He said employees were safely inside and that no militants had entered the building.
Police sealed off a large area in the center of Kabul as the clash of machine-gun fire echoed through the mountain-rimmed city. Helicopters buzzed overhead. A car that exploded between a shopping center and the Ministry of Education burned in the street.
Fighting raged for more than three hours and one four-story shopping center near the Justice Ministry was engulfed in flames after a group of militants entered the building, throwing grenades inside to frighten shoppers, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Zemari Bashary.
Two suicide bombers later detonated their explosives and Afghan troops killed two other militants in the mall, Bashary said. He said other militants were holed up on the top floor, but officials later said the building had been cleared.
NATO, which said international forces worked with Afghan forces to areas of the capital, said Afghan troops had killed at least two armed insurgents while clearing a building at a shopping center.
'Security... is deteriorating'
Elsewhere in the capital, Afghan troops also surrounded an area housing a well-known cinema and opened fire on militants believed hiding inside. A police officer at the site, Ghulam Ghaus, said the fighting ended after the last suicide attacker inside blew himself up. It wasn't clear how many others were in the building.
Militants have become increasingly brazen in challenging Afghan and international forces as the U.S. and NATO allies begin sending 37,000 more troops to join the fight.
The ability of the insurgents to penetrate the heavily secured city — even near the presidential palace and government ministries — also was likely to deal a new blow to public confidence in the Afghan government, already tarnished by a fraud-marred election.
"We are so concerned, so disappointed about the security in the capital," said Mohammad Hussain, a 25-year-old shopkeeper, who witnessed the fighting. "Tens of thousands of U.S. and NATO troops are being sent to Afghanistan, yet security in the capital is deteriorating."
The U.S. Embassy condemned the attack.
"The Taliban have claimed responsibility for this attack so clearly aimed at the Afghan government and innocent civilians," the embassy said in a statement. "We will continue to stand with the Afghan people and their government and with our allies and partners around the world to defeat our common enemy and build a more secure and prosperous future."
Abdul Rahman Hamedi, 38, lamented the violence in the capital at a time when fresh international forces are being sent to southern and eastern regions where the fighting has been worst.
"Today it looks like a coup," said Hamedi, who ran with his son from his shop. "Everybody said `The city is full of suicide bombers.'"
Taliban showdown in downtown Kabul
An Afghan National Army soldier keeps watch as smoke billows from a building where Taliban-linked militants and security forces clashed in Kabul on Monday.
KABUL - Taliban militants struck in the heart of the Afghan capital Monday, launching suicide attacks at key government targets in a clear sign the insurgents plan to escalate their fight as the U.S. and its allies ramp up their own campaign to end the war. At least five people, including a child, were killed and nearly 40 wounded, officials said.
After a series of blasts and more than three hours of ensuing gunfights outside several ministries and inside a shopping mall, President Hamid Karzai said security had been restored to the capital, though search operations continued amid reports that attackers were hiding in the city.
It was the biggest attack in the capital since Oct. 28 when gunmen with automatic weapons and suicide vests stormed a guest house used by U.N. staff, killing at least 11 people including three U.N. staff.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told The Associated Press that 20 armed militants, including some with suicide vests, had entered Kabul to target the presidential palace and other government buildings in the center of the capital.
Explosions and heavy machine-gun fire rattled the city for hours. Debris was strewn on the streets, which were quickly abandoned by crowds that normally fill the area. Defense Ministry spokesman Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi said a child and a policeman were killed. The Ministry of Public Health later said five people — a civilian and four security forces — were killed and 30 others wounded.
Four militants also were killed, including two suicide bombers who detonated their explosives, and Afghan forces were searching several other areas in the city for more attackers, Azimi said.
Cabinet swearing in
The attack unfolded on a day in which confirmed Cabinet members were sworn in by Karzai despite the rejection by parliament of the majority of his choices. Presidential spokesman, Waheed Omar, said the swearing-in had occurred as scheduled and everybody in the palace was safe.
The first blast was heard shortly before 10 a.m. in an area where government buildings are concentrated, including the presidential palace, the central bank and the luxury Serana Hotel, which is frequented by Westerners.
Azimi said a rocket slammed into the street near the bank's gate, but there were conflicting reports that the area had been struck by a suicide bomber or grenades.
Mohib Safi, the bank's deputy governor, said employees heard a strong explosion followed by gunfire. He said employees were safely inside and that no militants had entered the building.
Police sealed off a large area in the center of Kabul as the clash of machine-gun fire echoed through the mountain-rimmed city. Helicopters buzzed overhead. A car that exploded between a shopping center and the Ministry of Education burned in the street.
Fighting raged for more than three hours and one four-story shopping center near the Justice Ministry was engulfed in flames after a group of militants entered the building, throwing grenades inside to frighten shoppers, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Zemari Bashary.
Two suicide bombers later detonated their explosives and Afghan troops killed two other militants in the mall, Bashary said. He said other militants were holed up on the top floor, but officials later said the building had been cleared.
NATO, which said international forces worked with Afghan forces to areas of the capital, said Afghan troops had killed at least two armed insurgents while clearing a building at a shopping center.
'Security... is deteriorating'
Elsewhere in the capital, Afghan troops also surrounded an area housing a well-known cinema and opened fire on militants believed hiding inside. A police officer at the site, Ghulam Ghaus, said the fighting ended after the last suicide attacker inside blew himself up. It wasn't clear how many others were in the building.
Militants have become increasingly brazen in challenging Afghan and international forces as the U.S. and NATO allies begin sending 37,000 more troops to join the fight.
The ability of the insurgents to penetrate the heavily secured city — even near the presidential palace and government ministries — also was likely to deal a new blow to public confidence in the Afghan government, already tarnished by a fraud-marred election.
"We are so concerned, so disappointed about the security in the capital," said Mohammad Hussain, a 25-year-old shopkeeper, who witnessed the fighting. "Tens of thousands of U.S. and NATO troops are being sent to Afghanistan, yet security in the capital is deteriorating."
The U.S. Embassy condemned the attack.
"The Taliban have claimed responsibility for this attack so clearly aimed at the Afghan government and innocent civilians," the embassy said in a statement. "We will continue to stand with the Afghan people and their government and with our allies and partners around the world to defeat our common enemy and build a more secure and prosperous future."
Abdul Rahman Hamedi, 38, lamented the violence in the capital at a time when fresh international forces are being sent to southern and eastern regions where the fighting has been worst.
"Today it looks like a coup," said Hamedi, who ran with his son from his shop. "Everybody said `The city is full of suicide bombers.'"
Taliban showdown in downtown Kabul
H2O3C4Nitrogen
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Now what msg does this kind of attack gives out ...?
May the victims RIP..How much longer will this genocide continue ... one day it may will stop ..
May the victims RIP..How much longer will this genocide continue ... one day it may will stop ..
waraich66
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"No offense but many civilian also died in NATO and US bombing runs. I never saw you saying that it was a sad incident."
Nobody has accused the U.S. or ISAF of ever intentionally targeting civilians. No offense, but I'd suggest your own armed forces have experienced the same. Civilians dying needlessly is always a tragedy. So's war and, as such, often unavoidable.
OTOH, last year over 2400 afghan civilians died because of this war. UNAMA has identified over 1600 of them at the hand of the taliban while all of ISAF (to include America) was less than 596. Nearly 3:1 ratio. Worse, HRW has documented the deliberate attack on civilians by the taliban while also documenting the use of civilians by the taliban as human shields.
There's frankly no comparison. Today was just another example of what the afghans know all too well.
Thanks.
US also targeted major cities of Afghanistan through Tomo Hawk and Desi Cutter during their invasion of Afghanistan and many innocient civilian also died during this operation.Now if Talaban are attacking the capital to regain power then why you have objection .
The bottom line is that they are not targeting civilians.
Solomon2
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Had the U.S. actually hit a major city with a Daisy Cutter the devastation and loss of life would have been in the tens of thousands and we would have heard about it every day in the media for years. Why do you make such a patently false assertion?
The bottom line is that shopping centres are packed with innocent shopers and they are civilians, another bottom line is that school children are also highly innocent and civilian and they delibrately targeted them 2 years ago and killed them in dozens, the third bottom line is that they masacared thousands of shias in north before 9/11, the fourth bottom line is that they masacared thousands in Parwan, Kapisa, the fifth bottom line is that they masacared men, women, children in central parts of the country, the other bottom line is that they compleltely destroyed people's houses and cut down all of their fruitful trees and livelihoods, there are many many many bottom lines about your beloved killer taliban. you are such a hypocrate man, you dont want your house to burn but cheer when the taliban burn our house.
waraich66
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Afghan mujahdeen wanted to liberate their home from US occupation and all muslims except northern alliance are supporting their cause .If this is hypocracy , i love it
Afghan mujahdeen wanted to liberate their home from US occupation and all muslims except northern alliance are supporting their cause .If this is hypocracy , i love it
Liberate their home from Americans and present it with 2 hands to Paksitan. there is no difference between pakistan and america for afghanistan, they are both foreigners.
And by the way, dont put the issue of muslims in the middle as this statement has long lost its credibility and nobody beleives you anymore.
waraich66
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Around 50 Tomahawk cruise missiles were also used. The strikes initially focused on the area in and around the cities of Kabul, Jalalabad, and Kandahar.
Northern Alliance forces, possibly with the approval of nearby U.S Special Forces, packed captured Taliban fighters into trucks with no ventilation for transport to the Afghan prisons and executed many on the spot. Nearly 2000 captured Taliban died, either by suffocation or execution. This was only a precursor of one of the war�s bloodiest battles.
100-200 civilians were reported killed when 25 bombs struck a village at the foot of the Tora Bora and White Mountains region. The Pentagon initially denied the reports and maintains a policy of not counting civilian deaths
U.S. invasion of Afghanistan
Around 50 Tomahawk cruise missiles were also used. The strikes initially focused on the area in and around the cities of Kabul, Jalalabad, and Kandahar.
Northern Alliance forces, possibly with the approval of nearby U.S Special Forces, packed captured Taliban fighters into trucks with no ventilation for transport to the Afghan prisons and executed many on the spot. Nearly 2000 captured Taliban died, either by suffocation or execution. This was only a precursor of one of the war�s bloodiest battles.
Yes we all remember it, and there were many pakistani fighters as well among those prisoners. But here is a difference, they killed the taliban fighters and the taliban killed women, kids, men in their homes and on the street, hope you see the difference. by the way, i dont care about NA , or Taliban, they are all the same. but presently it is the taliban busy killing people.
100-200 civilians were reported killed when 25 bombs struck a village at the foot of the Tora Bora and White Mountains region. The Pentagon initially denied the reports and maintains a policy of not counting civilian deaths
everybody is killing the afghans, including the coalition forces, it is us who are paying the price for this proxy war which has got nothing to do with us. you should also know that there is every parallel to the situation of afghanistn and pakistan. what do you make up of those civilian casualties in pakistan in the hands of pakistani army?
waraich66
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Brother , in the end Afghan nation has to resolve their internal differences and think about their future , We will continue to help Afghan Rafugees and ready to provide help but real problem is occupation which is biggest curse , why US is not giving any time frame for exit ? this is point of real concern , it means they have long term plan to stay in Afghanistan.
Nations have to sacrifice for their sovernity and independence.Read history of independence of Pakistan.Still we are facing lot of challenges , India had never accepted our independence and trying to weaken our national unity by supporting BLA and TTP.
Brother, you dont have to worry about our independence, it is our issue not yours.
PlanetWarrior
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Brother why do you bring India into a discussion where an Afgan national is telling you that Afghanistanis want you Pakistanis to stop interfering in their issues? India does recognise your independence. If India is supporting the BLA and the TTP, which your government is yet to prove, then I wouldn't be surprised as the GoI may just label it "payback time". Doesnt have anything to do with your independence and shaving off some of your ego which makes you believe that India wants to reclaim Pakistan may just help you in the long run. Highly unlikely that they are nonetheless and your accusation remains just a suspicion.
waraich66
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I am just trying to tell my Afghan brother dont trust on US and India , they are not in Afghanistan for rehabilitation of Afghanistan or for peace mission , they have common intrest to secure the energy resources.
Afghanistan and Pakistan need each other for their existance , we need them for strategic depth and they need Pakistan for their trade through indian ocean.
Basically Mujahdeen are also fighting war of Pakistan, early exit of US from Afghanistan is in favour Pakistan to keep its independence and sovernity.
We also want good relation with India but on equal terms , we have adantage of strategic location this is the right time to pressurise India to resolve Kashmir issue or forget any gas or oil supply from Iran and central Asia.
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