This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/21/world/asia/taliban-attack-afghanistan.html
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Taliban Attack Afghan Army Base, Killing Dozens | Taliban Attack Afghan Army Base, Killing Dozens |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| KABUL, Afghanistan — Dozens of soldiers were killed on Friday when Taliban gunmen and suicide bombers in military uniforms stormed an Afghan Army base in northern Afghanistan, Afghan and Western officials said. | KABUL, Afghanistan — Dozens of soldiers were killed on Friday when Taliban gunmen and suicide bombers in military uniforms stormed an Afghan Army base in northern Afghanistan, Afghan and Western officials said. |
| The attack on the 209th Corps in Balkh Province began around 1 p.m., in a crowded area where soldiers, most of them unarmed, were leaving Friday Prayer or eating lunch. | The attack on the 209th Corps in Balkh Province began around 1 p.m., in a crowded area where soldiers, most of them unarmed, were leaving Friday Prayer or eating lunch. |
| A Western military official in Kabul, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media, said the number of deaths could reach 70 or more. Zabiullah Kaker, a member of the Balkh provincial council, said people inside the army corps had told him that at least 66 soldiers were killed in the attack and that 74 were wounded. | A Western military official in Kabul, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media, said the number of deaths could reach 70 or more. Zabiullah Kaker, a member of the Balkh provincial council, said people inside the army corps had told him that at least 66 soldiers were killed in the attack and that 74 were wounded. |
| But Ahmad Javid Salim, a spokesman for the Afghan Army’s commando forces who was at the scene of the attack, said at least 20 Afghan Army soldiers were killed and 30 were wounded. | But Ahmad Javid Salim, a spokesman for the Afghan Army’s commando forces who was at the scene of the attack, said at least 20 Afghan Army soldiers were killed and 30 were wounded. |
| Six assailants dressed in military uniforms drove in two army vehicles past the first checkpoint, according to Lt. Col. Abdul Qahar Aram, a spokesman for the corps. At the second checkpoint, one of the suicide bombers blew up his explosives, allowing the militants to enter, take up positions and start firing at soldiers, who were leaving prayers or making their way to lunch. | Six assailants dressed in military uniforms drove in two army vehicles past the first checkpoint, according to Lt. Col. Abdul Qahar Aram, a spokesman for the corps. At the second checkpoint, one of the suicide bombers blew up his explosives, allowing the militants to enter, take up positions and start firing at soldiers, who were leaving prayers or making their way to lunch. |
| “The dining room and the mosque are close to each other,” Colonel Aram said. “It was lunchtime; they entered both the mosque and the dining room.” | “The dining room and the mosque are close to each other,” Colonel Aram said. “It was lunchtime; they entered both the mosque and the dining room.” |
| The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack through a spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid. In a message posted on Twitter, Mr. Mujahid said the assailants were led by four soldiers inside the base who had long been Taliban infiltrators. | The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack through a spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid. In a message posted on Twitter, Mr. Mujahid said the assailants were led by four soldiers inside the base who had long been Taliban infiltrators. |
| Hashem Azimi, a member of Balkh provincial council, agreed that the attackers seemed to have had help from the inside, where, he said, at least five infiltrators joined them after they had breached the security measures. | Hashem Azimi, a member of Balkh provincial council, agreed that the attackers seemed to have had help from the inside, where, he said, at least five infiltrators joined them after they had breached the security measures. |
| “The two ranger vehicles had pretended that they were coming back from operations at some front line. They were all covered in dust,” Mr. Azimi said. “When they reached the gates of the army corps, they started firing and one of them got off the vehicle and blew himself up.” | “The two ranger vehicles had pretended that they were coming back from operations at some front line. They were all covered in dust,” Mr. Azimi said. “When they reached the gates of the army corps, they started firing and one of them got off the vehicle and blew himself up.” |
| The attack came weeks after militants entered the Afghan Army’s main hospital in Kabul, the capital, and killed more than 50 people in a siege that lasted nearly seven hours. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for that assault. In that attack, too, security officials said, the militants had inside help. | |
| While the group has been getting attention in recent days because of the American military’s use of its largest conventional bomb against an Islamic State cave complex in eastern Afghanistan, the Taliban remain the biggest security threat to the country. The group has expanded its territory over the past couple years and threatens several cities. | |
| Such a major security breach in Balkh, even before the start of the insurgents’ spring offensive, is a major concern to Afghan forces who are already struggling in the fight against the Taliban. In 2016, more than 6,700 Afghan forces were killed in battle. | Such a major security breach in Balkh, even before the start of the insurgents’ spring offensive, is a major concern to Afghan forces who are already struggling in the fight against the Taliban. In 2016, more than 6,700 Afghan forces were killed in battle. |
| Analysts and officials with the American-led coalition forces, who are training and assisting the Afghan forces, have been very critical of the inept leadership and widespread corruption in the ranks, which is contributing to the large number of casualties. Gen. John W. Nicholson, the commander of the American and NATO forces here, has expressed his need for a few thousand more American troops on the group to assist and train the Afghan forces. | Analysts and officials with the American-led coalition forces, who are training and assisting the Afghan forces, have been very critical of the inept leadership and widespread corruption in the ranks, which is contributing to the large number of casualties. Gen. John W. Nicholson, the commander of the American and NATO forces here, has expressed his need for a few thousand more American troops on the group to assist and train the Afghan forces. |
| Analysts said the repeated ability of a few militants to cause tremendous bloodshed in highly secure areas was an especially troubling sign ahead of the Taliban’s spring offensive. Jawed Kohistani, an Afghan security analyst, said the Balkh attack seemed to be in retaliation for Afghan special forces’ going on the offensive in recent weeks and targeting local Taliban leaders in night raids. Daring attacks like the one on Friday, he said, are possible because of infiltrators and the Taliban’s careful study of the Afghan security forces and their weaknesses. | Analysts said the repeated ability of a few militants to cause tremendous bloodshed in highly secure areas was an especially troubling sign ahead of the Taliban’s spring offensive. Jawed Kohistani, an Afghan security analyst, said the Balkh attack seemed to be in retaliation for Afghan special forces’ going on the offensive in recent weeks and targeting local Taliban leaders in night raids. Daring attacks like the one on Friday, he said, are possible because of infiltrators and the Taliban’s careful study of the Afghan security forces and their weaknesses. |
| “You know the attack was carried out on Friday, which is a national holiday, in the afternoon, which is the time of Friday Prayer,” Mr. Kohistani said. “On Friday, the military preparation of soldiers for responding to possible attack is decreased, the checking of the personnel also decreases and the enemy was aware of that.” | “You know the attack was carried out on Friday, which is a national holiday, in the afternoon, which is the time of Friday Prayer,” Mr. Kohistani said. “On Friday, the military preparation of soldiers for responding to possible attack is decreased, the checking of the personnel also decreases and the enemy was aware of that.” |
| “The gap, weakness and problem is in management, in the intelligence agency and the carelessness of high-ranking officials,” he added. | “The gap, weakness and problem is in management, in the intelligence agency and the carelessness of high-ranking officials,” he added. |