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Gunfire at Shiite gathering in Kabul leaves 32 dead, dozens wounded ISIS attack in Kabul leaves 32 dead, more than 80 wounded
(about 3 hours later)
KABUL — The first shots were heard before noon Friday, quickly followed by explosions at the site of a gathering of hundreds in western Kabul. Within hours, 32 people were dead and dozens wounded, according to a government spokesman.KABUL — The first shots were heard before noon Friday, quickly followed by explosions at the site of a gathering of hundreds in western Kabul. Within hours, 32 people were dead and dozens wounded, according to a government spokesman.
Opposition leader Abdullah Abdullah was present at the rally when the attack began, but escaped unhurt, according to his spokesman. The Islamic State in Afghanistan claimed responsibility for the attack, posting a statement Friday to social media accounts with links to the group. It marks the first attack in the Afghan capital claimed by the extremists in months.
The attack is the deadliest to strike Kabul in months and comes at a time of heightened political tensions in Afghanistan. The country is deeply divided by disputed election results, and the government is grappling with coming peace negotiations with the Taliban. Afghan opposition leader Abdullah Abdullah was present at the rally when the attack began, but escaped unhurt, according to his spokesman.
The deadly shooting comes just days after the signing of a peace deal between the United States and the Taliban and highlights the likelihood of continued violence in Afghanistan despite peace talks.
The Islamic State group is just one of many armed groups in the country opposed to the current peace efforts. It is neither allied with the Afghan government nor the Taliban, and endorses attacks on civilians who do not adhere to the group's strict interpretation of fundamentalist Islam.
The Taliban quickly issued a statement Friday saying it was not behind the attack. The United States and the Taliban signed a peace deal Saturday, and since then the militants have launched attacks on Afghan government forces, but are under pressure to minimize civilian casualties.The Taliban quickly issued a statement Friday saying it was not behind the attack. The United States and the Taliban signed a peace deal Saturday, and since then the militants have launched attacks on Afghan government forces, but are under pressure to minimize civilian casualties.
The attack in southwestern Kabul began when two gunmen fired down onto a crowd commemorating a revered Shiite martyr from a multistory building nearby. Armed with machine guns, hand grenades and rocket-propelled grenades, the attackers quickly caused massive bloodshed and held off a unit of elite Afghan police for hours more, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi.The attack in southwestern Kabul began when two gunmen fired down onto a crowd commemorating a revered Shiite martyr from a multistory building nearby. Armed with machine guns, hand grenades and rocket-propelled grenades, the attackers quickly caused massive bloodshed and held off a unit of elite Afghan police for hours more, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi.
Hayatullah Asadi ran for cover behind a wall after the shooting began. "People were terrified, they were screaming and fleeing," he told The Washington Post from a nearby hospital were many of the injured were being treated.
The last attacker was killed more than five hours after the initial shots were fired, according to a senior Afghan official who spoke on the condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media while the investigation into the attack was ongoing. The official said the large number of interconnected rooms and the presence of civilians in the building used by the attackers slowed efforts to reach them.The last attacker was killed more than five hours after the initial shots were fired, according to a senior Afghan official who spoke on the condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media while the investigation into the attack was ongoing. The official said the large number of interconnected rooms and the presence of civilians in the building used by the attackers slowed efforts to reach them.
Waheed Mayar, a health ministry spokesman, said 32 people were killed and 58 were wounded Friday, including women and children. Rahimi, the Interior Ministry spokesman, said 32 people were killed and 81 were wounded Friday, including women and children.
The American military command in Kabul said the response to Friday's attack was "Afghan-led and Afghan executed, with advice and assistance from U.S. forces, to include medical assistance to those injured in today's attack," according to a statement sent to The Washington Post.The American military command in Kabul said the response to Friday's attack was "Afghan-led and Afghan executed, with advice and assistance from U.S. forces, to include medical assistance to those injured in today's attack," according to a statement sent to The Washington Post.
Despite deep political divisions over the disputed election results announced last month, both the Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani, and his rival Abdullah condemned the attack Friday. Ghani also called Abdullah following the attack to assure him of his "well being," according to a tweet from his office. The attack also comes at a time of deep political divisions in Afghanistan. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abduallah both declared victory when disputed election results were announced last month.
The two men have recently been at odds over how to proceed with peace talks with the Taliban. The U.S.-Taliban peace deal signed Saturday set the date for intra-Afghan talks on March 10. But despite those divisions both Ghani, and Abdullah condemned the attack Friday. And Ghani called Abdullah Friday to assure him of his "well being" afterward, according to a tweet from his office.
Ghani’s spokesperson said in a tweet: “The barbaric attack on the commemoration ceremony of martyr Mazari is a crime against humanity. The Afghan government condemns the attack in the strongest terms.” The two men are also at odds over how to proceed with peace talks with the Taliban. The U.S.-Taliban peace deal signed Saturday set the date for intra-Afghan talks on March 10. But there is a dispute over whether to release thousands of Taliban prisoners ahead of those talks or to use the prisoners as leverage moving forward.
Abdullah also condemned the attack and called for a swift investigation, in an interview with Afghan media outlet TOLO.
The Afghan capital has enjoyed a period of relative calm in recent months as U.S. negotiators pressured the Taliban to halt large-scale attacks there in the lead-up to the signing of the peace deal.The Afghan capital has enjoyed a period of relative calm in recent months as U.S. negotiators pressured the Taliban to halt large-scale attacks there in the lead-up to the signing of the peace deal.
Additionally, military pressure on the Islamic State in Afghanistan brought with it a drop in that group’s attacks nationwide. The last large-scale attack in Kabul was claimed by the group in August when a suicide bomber targeted a wedding hall killing 63 people, mostly members of the ethnic Hazara and Shiite minority.Additionally, military pressure on the Islamic State in Afghanistan brought with it a drop in that group’s attacks nationwide. The last large-scale attack in Kabul was claimed by the group in August when a suicide bomber targeted a wedding hall killing 63 people, mostly members of the ethnic Hazara and Shiite minority.
Sharif Hassan contributed to this report.Sharif Hassan contributed to this report.
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