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U.S. Base in Afghanistan Target of Bomb Attacks Bombers Strike Outside U.S. Military Base in Afghanistan
(about 4 hours later)
KABUL — Taliban suicide bombers staged what appeared to be a carefully coordinated attack southwest of Kabul on Saturday that killed at least a dozen Afghans and wounded 58 more just outside the same American military outpost where a similar attack one year ago wounded scores of American soldiers. KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban suicide bombers staged what appeared to be a carefully coordinated attack southwest of Kabul on Saturday that killed at least a dozen Afghans and wounded 58 more just outside the same American military outpost where a similar attack one year ago wounded scores of American soldiers.
The attack on Saturday unfolded at daybreak in Sayed Abad, 45 miles from the capital. First a man wearing a suicide vest charged toward the base and a local police headquarters on foot, firing his Kalashnikov before blowing himself up. He did little damage, but his true purpose, officials later said, was to sow confusion and draw attention away from the bigger danger lurking nearby: Another suicide bomber driving a truck hauling a huge cache of explosives. The attack on Saturday unfolded at daybreak in Sayed Abad, 45 miles from the capital. First a man wearing a suicide vest charged toward the base and a local police headquarters on foot, firing his Kalashnikov rifle before blowing himself up. He did little damage, but his true purpose, officials later said, was to sow confusion and draw attention away from the bigger danger lurking nearby: another suicide bomber driving a truck hauling a huge cache of explosives.
Moments after that first explosion, the truck driver sped toward the base, for some reason stopping just short of it in the midst of a crowd shopping at a bazaar. There, he detonated his payload, killing eight Afghan civilians and at least four Afghan policemen, Afghan officials said. An Afghan Parliament member from the area, Hamida Akbari, placed the death toll at 14, including six members of the Afghan security forces. Moments after that first explosion, the truck driver sped toward the base, but stopping just short of it in the midst of a crowd shopping at a bazaar. There, he detonated his payload, killing eight Afghan civilians and at least four Afghan policemen, Afghan officials said. An Afghan Parliament member from the area, Hamida Akbari, placed the death toll at 14, including 6 members of the Afghan security forces.
The wounded included at least one woman, a child, and three officers of the National Directorate of Security, the Afghan national spy agency. Several American soldiers inside the base were also wounded.The wounded included at least one woman, a child, and three officers of the National Directorate of Security, the Afghan national spy agency. Several American soldiers inside the base were also wounded.
One theory quickly emerged: The attack was meant as a reprise of the truck bombing of the same base — Combat Outpost Sayed Abad — that killed five Afghans and wounded 77 United States soldiers last September. That attack was blamed on the Haqqani Taliban network and later gained new significance when American officials described it as one of a handful of high-profile assaults that led them to publicly accuse Pakistan’s premier spy agency of supporting the Haqqani network in attacking United States targets in Afghanistan. One theory quickly emerged: The attack was meant as a reprise of the truck bombing of the same base, Combat Outpost Sayed Abad, that killed five Afghans and wounded 77 United States soldiers last September. The Haqqani Taliban network was blamed for the attack, which later gained new significance when American officials described it as one of a handful of high-profile assaults that led them to publicly accuse Pakistan’s premier spy agency of supporting the Haqqani network in attacking United States targets in Afghanistan.
Inside the American-led military command in Kabul on Saturday, suspicion immediately turned toward the Haqqanis again. “We believe this attack bears the mark of the Haqqani network, which continues to target and kill innocent Afghans and blatantly violates Afghan sovereignty,” Marine Gen. John R. Allen, commander of American and NATO forces in Afghanistan, said in a statement. Inside the American-led military command in Kabul on Saturday, suspicion immediately turned toward the Haqqanis again. “We believe this attack bears the mark of the Haqqani network, which continues to target and kill innocent Afghans and blatantly violates Afghan sovereignty,” Gen. John R. Allen of the Marines, commander of American and NATO forces in Afghanistan, said in a statement.
A Taliban spokesman would neither confirm nor deny that the Haqqani network, a clan that has safe haven in the Pakistani-Afghan frontier, carried out the latest attack. But the spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, was quick to take responsibility for the attack, after a week in which the Taliban repeatedly denied involvement in other deaths for which they were blamed by the Afghan authorities. He also confirmed that the base was the target and noted that it was the same outpost attacked last year. If a Haqqani link were proven, it might add to Congressional pressure on the Obama administration to designate the group a terrorist organization. That would be expected to hurt the Haqqanis’ fund-raising activities in Saudi Arabia and other countries, while also pressing Pakistan to take stronger action against the network, adding new tension to already strained relations between Pakistan and the United States.
The administration has one more week to meet a Congressional deadline, and it appears to be leaning toward authorizing the designation, current and former administration officials say.
A Taliban spokesman would neither confirm nor deny that the Haqqani network, a clan that has safe haven in the Pakistani-Afghan frontier, carried out the latest attack. But the spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, was quick to take responsibility for the attack, after a week in which the Taliban repeatedly denied involvement in other deaths for which they were blamed by the Afghan authorities. He also confirmed that the base was the target, and noted that it was the same outpost attacked last year.
The huge blast damaged the military outpost, which also has Afghan troops, said Maj. Adam Wojack, spokesman for the American-led military coalition.The huge blast damaged the military outpost, which also has Afghan troops, said Maj. Adam Wojack, spokesman for the American-led military coalition.
He added, however, that “it did not penetrate the exterior wall, and there was no assault force that tried to exploit the attack.”He added, however, that “it did not penetrate the exterior wall, and there was no assault force that tried to exploit the attack.”
“It was right in front of the bazaar, and that’s why there were so many civilian casualties,” he said. “It was right in front of the bazaar,” Major Wojack said, “and that’s why there were so many civilian casualties.”
In the northern city of Kunduz, the Afghan authorities said they captured a Taliban commander who ordered the public stoning deaths two years ago of a young couple that shocked the country and marked the return of a traditional Taliban method of execution. The commander, Qari Neyaz Mohammed, was also responsible for authorizing suicide attacks and was a Taliban military commander in four northern provinces, Afghan officials said.In the northern city of Kunduz, the Afghan authorities said they captured a Taliban commander who ordered the public stoning deaths two years ago of a young couple that shocked the country and marked the return of a traditional Taliban method of execution. The commander, Qari Neyaz Mohammed, was also responsible for authorizing suicide attacks and was a Taliban military commander in four northern provinces, Afghan officials said.
The couple that was executed, a 25-year-old man and 19-year-old woman, had eloped after the man failed to persuade family members to allow them to marry. They stayed with relatives in Kunar Province but were persuaded to return by family members who said they would allow a marriage. But once back, they were seized by the Taliban. The couple who were executed, a 25-year-old man and 19-year-old woman, had eloped after the man failed to persuade family members to allow them to marry. They stayed with relatives in Kunar Province, but were persuaded to return by family members who said they would allow a marriage. But once back, they were seized by the Taliban.
In Ghazni Province, two American soldiers were killed during an insurgent attack on Saturday, but no details were provided by the American military.In Ghazni Province, two American soldiers were killed during an insurgent attack on Saturday, but no details were provided by the American military.
Later on Saturday, NATO officials got into a heated battle of words with President Hamid Karzai. The night before, Australian forces in Uruzgan Province conducted a house raid that Mr. Karzai subsequently condemned as a violation of a memorandum of understanding that required all such Western operations to have prior approval of provincial officials. Capt. Dan Einert of the United States Air Force, a military spokesman in Kabul, said Mr. Karzai was wrong because the Uruzgan provincial governor had given his approval for the raid, and Afghan military forces accompanied the Australians. Later on Saturday, NATO officials got into a heated battle of words with President Hamid Karzai. The night before, Australian forces in Uruzgan Province conducted a house raid that Mr. Karzai later condemned as a violation of a memo of understanding that required all such Western operations to have prior approval of provincial officials.
Mr. Karzai said the raid killed 70-year-old Haji Raz Mohammed and his 30-year-old son, Abdul Jalil, and a spokesman for the provincial governor said the two men were not part of the Taliban. Captain Einert said the two men were “military-aged” insurgents. Capt. Dan Einert of the United States Air Force, a military spokesman in Kabul, said Mr. Karzai was wrong because the Uruzgan provincial governor had given his approval for the raid, and Afghan military forces accompanied the Australians.
Mr. Karzai said the raid killed Haji Raz Mohammed, 70, and his son, Abdul Jalil, 30. A spokesman for the provincial governor said they were not part of the Taliban. Captain Einert said the two men were “military-aged” insurgents.

An employee of The New York Times contributed reporting from Kabul.

An employee of The New York Times contributed reporting from Kabul.