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Blast at Rally for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani Kills at Least 26 26 Dead After Blast at Rally for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani
(about 3 hours later)
A suicide bomber detonated an explosive outside a campaign rally for President Ashraf Ghani in northern Afghanistan on Tuesday, missing the president but killing at least 26 people and wounding at least 32, provincial officials said. FAIZABAD, Afghanistan — Fearing Taliban threats, President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan has mostly campaigned for re-election via Skype, reaching voters outside Kabul through “virtual rallies.”
Mr. Ghani was inside a fortified compound at least a half-mile from the blast, which occurred near a police training center, according to the local police chief and the head of the provincial council in Parwan Province, about 35 miles north of Kabul. But on Tuesday, the president risked a 35-mile trip from the capital to neighboring Parwan Province for a rally inside a police training compound. And there, just as the rally was beginning, the Taliban made good on repeated vows to attack anything connected with the election, scheduled in less than two weeks.
The attacker, who was on a motorcycle, detonated the bomb at 11:40 a.m. as people were lining up to undergo security checks at the first entry gate to the compound, said Wahida Shahkar, a spokesman for the provincial governor. Mr. Ghani had arrived earlier by helicopter, local officials said. A suicide bomber on a motorcycle blew up as people waited to be screened and ushered into the heavily guarded compound. At least 26 people were killed and 42 were wounded, the Ministry of Interior said. Mr. Ghani, who was inside the compound, at least a half-mile from the blast, was unhurt.
The president had mostly been campaigning by videoconference ahead of the Sept. 28 presidential vote but made the short trip to Charikar, the provincial capital, for the rally. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the 11:40 a.m. attack, and for a second suicide bombing in Kabul just over an hour later that killed 22 people and wounded 38, the Interior Ministry said.
The election, delayed twice and then eclipsed by peace talks between the United States and the Taliban, has been under threat by the militants. Both before and since negotiations were declared dead by President Trump on Sept. 9, the Taliban have threatened to attack campaign rallies and polling sites — as they have in past elections. With the twin attacks, the Taliban delivered on its warnings that President’s Trump’s Sept. 9 cancellation of peace talks with the group would trigger an escalation of violence against the American-backed government.
A Taliban spokesman, Zabibullah Mujahid, said Tuesday that the group was responsible for the Parwan attack and for a separate bombing outside a Ministry of Defense facility in Kabul at midday on a road leading to the fortified United States Embassy compound. He said the Parwan attack was aimed at Afghan security forces who were providing security for the rally. A Taliban spokesman, Zabibullah Mujahid, said the attacks targeted Afghan security forces.
Nasrat Rahimi, a spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, said that 20 people were killed and 38 wounded in the Kabul attack, which took place near the site of a suicide bomb blast on Sept. 5 that killed 12 people, including one American and one Romanian soldier.
Mr. Mujahid said the Taliban had warned Afghans not to attend campaign rallies or other election events, calling them “military targets” because they are protected by security forces. If civilians are killed or wounded at such gatherings, he said, they are responsible for putting themselves in harm’s way.Mr. Mujahid said the Taliban had warned Afghans not to attend campaign rallies or other election events, calling them “military targets” because they are protected by security forces. If civilians are killed or wounded at such gatherings, he said, they are responsible for putting themselves in harm’s way.
“We carried out this attack while a fake election rally was ongoing,” Mr. Mujahid said in a WhatsApp message.“We carried out this attack while a fake election rally was ongoing,” Mr. Mujahid said in a WhatsApp message.
The Sept. 5 attack in Kabul was cited by Mr. Trump as one reason for cutting off talks with the Taliban. The suspension of negotiations cleared the way for the presidential election, with campaigning beginning in earnest only recently. The election had been eclipsed by the peace talks, which had excluded Mr. Ghani’s government. But the collapse of the negotiations was seen as a victory for him, clearing the way for campaigning to begin in earnest.
Well before the peace talks were suspended, Mr. Ghani’s first vice-presidential running mate, Amrullah Saleh, narrowly escaped a complex attack that included a car bomb and a half-dozen suicide bombers who penetrated his political headquarters in Kabul in July. Mr. Ghani blamed the collapse on precisely the type of attacks undertaken by the Taliban on Tuesday.
In Parwan on Tuesday, video posted on social media appeared to show grieving men searching the wards of the provincial hospital for relatives killed or wounded in the bombing. At least one man lay dead on the floor, and other bodies were covered by sheets or blankets. “The Taliban are the main enemy of our republic system,” he said on his presidential Twitter account. “The Taliban once again have proved that they are not interested in peace and stability in Afghanistan.”
Mr. Ghani added that the election will proceed as scheduled on Sept. 28 “so that the people can decide on their political future.”
The Kabul attack took place near the site of a suicide bomb blast on Sept. 5 that killed 12 people, including one American and one Romanian soldier. Mr. Trump cited that attack as one reason he had decided to end the peace negotiations.
Most of the 26 dead in the Parwan attack were civilians, provincial health officials said.
Abdul Qasim, 30, said he was waiting in line to attend the rally when he noticed a man wearing an Afghan Army uniform riding in circles on a motorcycle shortly after Mr. Ghani’s helicopter landed inside the police compound.
Several minutes later, the motorcyclist detonated the bomb next to two security force vehicles about 30 yards from where Mr. Qasim stood. He said he was knocked to the ground, then heard people screaming for help.
Mr. Qasim said he was not seriously hurt, but saw several bodies with arms or legs missing. “They were just laying there like slaughtered sheep,” he said.
A video posted on social media appeared to show grieving men searching the wards of the provincial hospital for relatives killed or wounded in the bombing. At least one man lay dead on the floor, and other bodies were covered by sheets or blankets.
The authenticity of that video and others on social media could not be immediately verified.The authenticity of that video and others on social media could not be immediately verified.
Another social media video appeared to show a pickup truck with its rear bed loaded with corpses from the Parwan attack. Women and children were among those killed, said Dr. Abdul Qasum Sangin, director of the Parwan provincial hospital.Another social media video appeared to show a pickup truck with its rear bed loaded with corpses from the Parwan attack. Women and children were among those killed, said Dr. Abdul Qasum Sangin, director of the Parwan provincial hospital.
The two attacks came as Afghan security forces made final preparations to secure more than 5,300 voting sites being set up for the election, with 400 to 500 closed at the moment for security reasons. Parliamentary elections last year and the presidential election in 2014 were marred by violence and by allegations of corruption and incompetence. Well before the peace talks were suspended, Mr. Ghani’s first vice-presidential running mate, Amrullah Saleh, narrowly escaped a complex attack that included a car bomb and a half-dozen suicide bombers who penetrated his political headquarters in Kabul in July.
Mr. Saleh attended the Parwan rally with Mr. Ghani but was not harmed, a member of his staff said.
The two attacks Tuesday came as Afghan security forces made final preparations to secure more than 5,300 voting sites for the Sept. 28 election, with 400 to 500 closed at the moment for security reasons. Parliamentary elections last year and the presidential election in 2014 were marred by violence and by allegations of corruption and incompetence.
“We are concerned about the security situation, and that is the biggest issue,” Abdul Aziz Ibrahimi, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s election commission, said as campaigning began to pick up last week. “We are in touch with Afghan security forces, and they are committed to provided election security.”“We are concerned about the security situation, and that is the biggest issue,” Abdul Aziz Ibrahimi, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s election commission, said as campaigning began to pick up last week. “We are in touch with Afghan security forces, and they are committed to provided election security.”
Security forces are also charged with protecting the 18 candidates on the ballot and their staffs, although several candidates have said they dropped out of the race. Security forces are also responsible for protecting the 18 candidates on the ballot and their staffs, although several candidates have said they dropped out of the race.
The Afghan Army, police and national security agency are also battling Taliban fighters in various parts of the country, with government centers under attack in several northern provinces. Since the peace talks began late last year, both sides have escalated military operations. The Afghan Army, police and national security agency are also battling Taliban fighters in parts of the country, with government centers under attack in several northern provinces. Since the peace talks began late last year, both sides have escalated military operations.
Since the talks were suspended, Mr. Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have said United States aircraft and Special Operations troops, in support of the Afghan government and military, have intensified attacks on the Taliban.Since the talks were suspended, Mr. Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have said United States aircraft and Special Operations troops, in support of the Afghan government and military, have intensified attacks on the Taliban.
At the same time, the militants have warned that they are ramping up their own operations and have threatened to kill more American troops.At the same time, the militants have warned that they are ramping up their own operations and have threatened to kill more American troops.
An American Special Forces soldier was killed in eastern Afghanistan on Monday, according to Defense Department officials. The soldier, Sgt. First Class Jeremy W. Griffin, 40, was the 17th American service member to die in combat operations this year, the highest number of losses in a year since 2014, when the Pentagon announced the end of combat operations in Afghanistan.An American Special Forces soldier was killed in eastern Afghanistan on Monday, according to Defense Department officials. The soldier, Sgt. First Class Jeremy W. Griffin, 40, was the 17th American service member to die in combat operations this year, the highest number of losses in a year since 2014, when the Pentagon announced the end of combat operations in Afghanistan.