Devastating car bomb blast rocks Kandahar
Monday, October 31st, 2011 7:05:23 by Zuhaib Gull
Devastating car bomb blast rocks Kandahar
Recent news has come out of Kandahar that a car bomb went off near the neighbourhood housing that encircles the United Nations refugee agency and the International Relief and Development (IRD) offices. The car bomb blast has been located near a checkpoint,
bordering the region. The bomb blast marks the first serious assault by the Taliban since the suicide attack that killed 13 foreign personnel on Saturday. This new development comes on Monday, October 31st.
Three civilians and an Afghan police man have been confirmed dead while five people have been declared injured. A Nepalese guard is said to be amongst the wounded. They were taken to the hospital, following the attack on the checkpoint.
The Taliban have taken responsibility and they told the press that their intended target was the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency. Two men had entered the compound but they were surrounded by the local police in time.
The Taliban has been raising its assault against the US and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces for quite some time and they are doing a lot of damage. The attack on Saturday was the deadliest one after 30 US Special Forces personnel were
brought down in August, following an attack on a US helicopter.
On Saturday, the Taliban attacked a bus carrying members of the International Security Assistance Force. A car laden with explosives rammed right into the bus, killing 17 people. This all happened on the south west outskirts of the capital city of Kabul.
"A suicide car bomb attack was carried out on a bus of foreign forces in the Darulaman area of Kabul," Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a text message sent out to the press.
ISAF commander, Gen. John R. Allen, was appalled by the event and was quick to denounce the attackers.
"The enemies of peace are not martyrs, but murderers," Gen Allen said.
"My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed and injured in today’s attacks," Gen. Allen added. "Their sacrifices will be honoured and the enemy will be held to account."
With Afghanistan facing harsh assault from the Taliban, there is scepticism on the coalition’s approach to the issue. As the US troops are expected to withdraw by 2014, it is interesting to analyze whether the local government forces are capable enough at
handling the problem or not.
Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=2177
Posted by Zuhaib Gull
on Oct 31 2011. Filed under South Asia.
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