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‘It’s a Massacre’: Taliban Bomb in Ambulance Kills 95 in Kabul ‘It’s a Massacre’: Taliban Bomb in Ambulance Kills 95 in Kabul
(about 2 hours later)
KABUL, Afghanistan — A bomb placed in an ambulance set off a huge explosion on a busy Kabul street on Saturday, killing at least 95 people and injuring at least 158 others, Afghan officials said. KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban drove an ambulance packed with explosives into a crowded Kabul street on Saturday, setting off an enormous blast that killed at least 95 people and injured 158 others, adding to the grim toll of what has been one of the most violent stretches of the long war, Afghan officials said.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which came days after a 15-hour siege by the militants at the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul left 22 dead, including 14 foreigners. The attack came days after a 15-hour siege by the militants at the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul that left 22 dead, including 14 foreigners.
The explosion occurred on a guarded street that leads to an old Interior Ministry building and several embassies, officials said. Many ministry departments still have offices there, and visitors line up every day for routine business. On Saturday, hospitals overflowed with the wounded, and forensic workers at the morgue struggled to identify the dead.
The large casualty toll was another reminder of how badly Afghanistan is bleeding. Over the past year, about 10,000 of the country’s security forces have been killed and more than 16,000 others wounded, according to a senior Afghan government official. The Taliban losses are believed to be about the same.
United Nations’ data suggests an average of about 10 civilians were killed every day over the first nine months of 2017.
The surge in violence across the country, particularly deadly attacks that have shut down large parts of Afghan cities, comes at a time when the country’s government has been in political disarray.
President Ashraf Ghani has struggled to build consensus and has recently found himself in a protracted political showdown with a regional strongman, a dispute that has taken up much of administration’s energy. The strongman, Atta Muhammad Noor, a powerful governor, was fired by the president but has refused to leave his post, raising fears that the escalating political tensions could further undermine the country’s fragile security.
The recent carnage is also tied, analysts said, to President Trump’s decision last month to increase pressure on Pakistan, long seen as supporting the Taliban as a proxy force in Afghanistan. Mr. Trump made a gamble to try to tilt the long war in Afghanistan to America’s favor, holding back security aid to Pakistan for what he called the country’s “lies and deceit.”
At the time of the announcement, many Afghan officials feared an immediate escalation in violence as a retaliation and wondered whether their shaky government could absorb the blows.
In last weekend’s attack, Taliban militants barged into the highly guarded Intercontinental hotel, battling security forces in a hourslong siege. At least 14 of their victims were foreign citizens: nine of them pilots and flight crew members from Ukraine and Venezuela who worked for a private Afghan airline, Kam Air; and four of them Americans.
At the time of Saturday’s attack, Gen. Joseph L. Votel, the commander of the United States Central Command, which overseas military operations in the region, was in Kabul. He met with Mr. Ghani, and officials aware of the discussion said Pakistan was much of the focus.
Saturday’s explosion occurred on a guarded street that leads to an old Interior Ministry building and several embassies, officials said. Many ministry departments still have offices there, and visitors line up every day for routine business.
“I saw a flame that blinded my eyes, then I went unconscious,” said Nazeer Ahmad, 45, who was wounded in the head. “When I opened my eyes, I saw bodies lying on the ground.”“I saw a flame that blinded my eyes, then I went unconscious,” said Nazeer Ahmad, 45, who was wounded in the head. “When I opened my eyes, I saw bodies lying on the ground.”
“It’s a massacre,” said Dejan Panic, the coordinator in Afghanistan for the Italian aid group Emergency, which runs a nearby trauma hospital. At least 70 people were brought to the group’s Kabul hospital. “It’s a massacre,” said Dejan Panic, the coordinator in Afghanistan for the Italian aid group Emergency, which runs a nearby trauma center. At least 131 people were brought to the group’s Kabul hospital.
An uptick in violence across the country, particularly an increase in deadly attacks in urban centers that shut down large parts of cities, comes at a time when the country’s government has been in political disarray. According to Baseer Mujahid, a spokesman for the Kabul police, the bomber drove past the first checkpoint at the entrance to the street.
President Ashraf Ghani has struggled to build much consensus and has recently found himself in a protracted political showdown with a regional strongman that has eaten up much of administration’s energy. Atta Muhammad Noor, a powerful governor, was fired by the president but has refused to leave his post, raising fears that the escalating political tensions could undermine the country’s fragile security.
The carnage is also tied, analysts say, to President Trump’s decision last month to increase pressure on Pakistan, long seen as supporting the Taliban as a proxy force in Afghanistan. Mr. Trump made a gamble to try to tilt the long war, holding back security aid to Pakistan for what he called the country’s “lies and deceit.”
Many Afghan officials, at the time of the announcement, had feared an immediate escalation in violence as a retaliation and wondered whether their fragile administration could absorb it.
On Saturday, according to Baseer Mujahid, a spokesman for the Kabul police, the bomber drove past the first checkpoint at the entrance to the street.
“Police stopped the vehicle at the second checkpoint,” Mr. Mujahid said. “Then he tried to drive in from the wrong lane. Again, the police tried to stop him. But he detonated the explosive-laden vehicle.”“Police stopped the vehicle at the second checkpoint,” Mr. Mujahid said. “Then he tried to drive in from the wrong lane. Again, the police tried to stop him. But he detonated the explosive-laden vehicle.”
Ambulances and police trucks loaded up victims and took them to the city’s hospitals, which were overwhelmed by the number of wounded. Officials feared that the death toll could rise. Many of the buildings and shops on the street were shattered, their windows blown out. Family members begged the police to allow them on the street to seek news of loved ones.
Many of the buildings and shops on the street were shattered, their windows blown out. Chaos prevailed as security forces started brawling among themselves, and as family members begged the police to allow them on the street to seek news of loved ones.
“It is a critical situation,” said Waheed Majroh, a spokesman for the Ministry of Health.“It is a critical situation,” said Waheed Majroh, a spokesman for the Ministry of Health.
At the time of the attack, Gen. Joseph L. Votel, commander of the United States Central Command, which overseas operations in the Middle East, was in Kabul. He had met with President Ghani, and officials said Pakistan had been the focus of much of the discussion. “Today’s attack is nothing short of an atrocity, and those who have organized and enabled it must be brought to justice and held to account,” Tadamichi Yamamoto, the leader of the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan, said in a statement.
The leader of the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, said in a statement: “Today’s attack is nothing short of an atrocity, and those who have organized and enabled it must be brought to justice and held to account. “I am particularly disturbed by credible reports that the attackers used a vehicle painted to look like an ambulance, including bearing the distinctive medical emblem, in clear violation of international humanitarian law,” Mr. Yamamoto added.
“I am particularly disturbed by credible reports that the attackers used a vehicle painted to look like an ambulance, including bearing the distinctive medical emblem, in clear violation of international humanitarian law.” Later in the day, family members lined up outside Kabul’s morgue.
“My cousin was a police officer; he was the person who stopped the ambulance laden with explosives,” said Attaullah, 36, who anxiously waited outside the morgue and like many Afghans uses only one name. “He was 28, he had a son and a daughter.”