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Taliban Bombing Kills at Least 20 at Kabul Police Station Taliban Bombing Kills at Least 20 at Kabul Police Station
(about 1 hour later)
KABUL, Afghanistan — A Taliban suicide bomber struck near a Kabul police complex on Monday, killing at least 20 policemen and wounding 29 people, Afghan officials said, in the latest of a rapid-fire series of militant attacks on the capital this year.KABUL, Afghanistan — A Taliban suicide bomber struck near a Kabul police complex on Monday, killing at least 20 policemen and wounding 29 people, Afghan officials said, in the latest of a rapid-fire series of militant attacks on the capital this year.
The attack came as the American military issued a grim confirmation of the war’s toll on the Afghan security forces, saying that casualties among Afghan soldiers and policemen in 2015 were up by almost a third. That set a record from the year before — a casualty rate so high that some officials described it then as unsustainable.The attack came as the American military issued a grim confirmation of the war’s toll on the Afghan security forces, saying that casualties among Afghan soldiers and policemen in 2015 were up by almost a third. That set a record from the year before — a casualty rate so high that some officials described it then as unsustainable.
Gen. Mohammad Ayub Salangi, Afghanistan’s deputy interior minister, said on Twitter that the attack on Monday occurred in the afternoon near Deh Mazang Square, in a western part of the city that has several police stations. Witnesses said the bomber had walked up to a line of visitors waiting for a security check near the gate of the National Civil Order Police and detonated his explosives. Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for the Afghan interior ministry, said the attack on Monday happened near the gate of the National Civil Order Police. Witnesses said the bomber had walked up to a line of visitors waiting for a security check and detonated his explosives.
A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement, saying the bomber had targeted the facility as a large group of police officers was leaving.A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement, saying the bomber had targeted the facility as a large group of police officers was leaving.
Dozens of police officers cordoned off the sidewalk at the site of the bombing. But the main road, one of the busiest in Kabul, stayed open to traffic. Human remains were still visible even after firefighters hosed down the area.Dozens of police officers cordoned off the sidewalk at the site of the bombing. But the main road, one of the busiest in Kabul, stayed open to traffic. Human remains were still visible even after firefighters hosed down the area.
“You see that tree? The branches are covered in flesh and blood,” said Ahmad Parwiz, who sells fried dough across the street from the National Civil Order Police. “There were a lot of visitors queued up to go inside when the explosion happened. Thank God we weren’t hurt on this side of the road.”“You see that tree? The branches are covered in flesh and blood,” said Ahmad Parwiz, who sells fried dough across the street from the National Civil Order Police. “There were a lot of visitors queued up to go inside when the explosion happened. Thank God we weren’t hurt on this side of the road.”
Intense Taliban offensives that are carrying on through the winter, including the string of bombings in Kabul, have Afghan and Western officials increasingly worried about the pressure on the Afghan security forces.Intense Taliban offensives that are carrying on through the winter, including the string of bombings in Kabul, have Afghan and Western officials increasingly worried about the pressure on the Afghan security forces.
Col. Michael Lawhorn, a spokesman for NATO and United States forces in Afghanistan, said the casualties of Afghan forces through 2015 were 28 percent higher than from the year before.Col. Michael Lawhorn, a spokesman for NATO and United States forces in Afghanistan, said the casualties of Afghan forces through 2015 were 28 percent higher than from the year before.
Colonel Lawhorn, who would not go into details about the new casualty report, said a difficult year for the Afghan forces had long been expected because they were carrying responsibility for a “significantly increased operational tempo” last year, after the end of the NATO combat mission.Colonel Lawhorn, who would not go into details about the new casualty report, said a difficult year for the Afghan forces had long been expected because they were carrying responsibility for a “significantly increased operational tempo” last year, after the end of the NATO combat mission.
An Afghan official briefed on the matter put the number of casualties in 2015 at close to 16,000 soldiers and police officers, with more than 5,000 of them killed. Even those numbers seemed low, considering that 4,100 were killed in the first six months of 2015, and the fighting greatly intensified in the last six months of the year.An Afghan official briefed on the matter put the number of casualties in 2015 at close to 16,000 soldiers and police officers, with more than 5,000 of them killed. Even those numbers seemed low, considering that 4,100 were killed in the first six months of 2015, and the fighting greatly intensified in the last six months of the year.
Gen. Dawlat Waziri, a spokesman for the Afghan ministry of defense, declined to comment on the specific number of soldiers killed. He referred to the ministry’s daily news releases, which often have reports of the day’s casualties.Gen. Dawlat Waziri, a spokesman for the Afghan ministry of defense, declined to comment on the specific number of soldiers killed. He referred to the ministry’s daily news releases, which often have reports of the day’s casualties.
“All I can say is that compared to 2014, the casualties in 2015 were more,” General Wazir said. “All I can say is that compared to 2014, the casualties in 2015 were more,” General Waziri said.
In the district of Dehrawoud in southern Oruzgan Province, where the police have long complained of lack of equipment and ammunition while practically under siege, four security check posts were abandoned by the police and later burned down by the Taliban, according to Mohammad Karim Khadimzai, head of provincial council. Around 30 policemen deserted their posts in Dehrawoud and arrived in Tirin Kot, the provincial capital of Oruzgan.
“The reason for deserting their posts, the police said, is a lack of ammunition despite frequently asking headquarters for supplies,” Mr. Khadimzai said.
But the provincial police chief has rejected that claim, saying the reason for the officers’ desertion was that the post’s commander had been fired recently over complaints of mistreatment the locals made against him. He said the deserted policemen were under investigation.
Dost Mohammad Nayab, a spokesman to the governor of Oruzgan, denied that the posts had been burned down by the Taliban, and said new forces had arrived to the area to fill the vacuum.
The recent increase in urban attacks by the Taliban, in addition to a territory-gobbling offensive across the country, has coincided with international efforts to restart peace talks between the insurgents and the Afghan government. After a brief surge of progress last year, the effort stalled in July after it was revealed that the movement’s leader, Mullah Muhammad Omar, had died in 2013.The recent increase in urban attacks by the Taliban, in addition to a territory-gobbling offensive across the country, has coincided with international efforts to restart peace talks between the insurgents and the Afghan government. After a brief surge of progress last year, the effort stalled in July after it was revealed that the movement’s leader, Mullah Muhammad Omar, had died in 2013.
Officials from Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the United States are expected to meet for a third time soon to discuss a plan to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table.Officials from Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the United States are expected to meet for a third time soon to discuss a plan to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table.