Pages

Friday, August 19, 2011

TALIBAN ATTACK ON BRITISH OFFICE IN KABUL


TALIBAN ATTACK ON
BRITISH OFFICE IN KABUL
Taliban bombers killed at least four Afghans when they attacked the British Council in the Afghan capital on Friday, 19th, August, 2011, sending what they said was a warning to London as the country prepared to celebrate independence from British rule. Up to three assailants were still inside the British Council building fighting against Afghan security forces and NATO troops, Kabul police spokesman Hashmatullah Stanikzai said."We think there might be foreigners trapped inside, so we do not want to take any serious action at present," Stanikzai said.
A British embassy spokesman in Kabul confirmed the attack against the British Council, but declined to say whether there were foreigners inside. "We are coordinating with the Afghan security forces," he said. A Reuter’s photograph taken at the scene showed what appeared to be a white male being lifted onto a stretcher withblood across his back and wound to the back of his head. A second photo showed a Union Jack insignia on his left shoulder, and a different uniform than those warn by council's guards. The British embassy spokesman declined to comment, but said a statement was forthcoming. Stanikzai said two policemen and two street cleaners were killed in the attacks, which the Taliban said were launched by two car bombs. Six policemen were wounded, Stanikzai added.
Two more loud explosions were heard in the vicinity hours after the initial attacks were felt, Reuters witnesses said.Strewn wooden and metal debris lay on the street of the British Council, where Afghan forces and foreign troops from the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) rushed to secure the area, Reuters TV showed. The NATO-led force in Afghanistan also confirmed there had been two explosions near the British Council, which is a state-funded agency running mainly cultural programmes. It is not part of the main British embassy in the diplomatic area of Kabul. The Taliban said they were sending two messages: One to the Afghan government and one to the British," spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location.
"We are now reminding them that we will become independent again from all foreigners, especially from the British," Mujahid said, referring to Afghanistan's independence from British rule 92 years ago, which the country was preparing to mark on Friday. Security was beefed up across the capital for the event. After the United States, Britain has the second-largest force in the NATO-led war against the Taliban, with around 9,500 troops. Mujahid declined to say how many bombers the Islamist group used for the attacks, which come a month after NATO handed over security responsibilities to the Afghans in several areas across the country, as part of a gradual transition process to be completed by the end of 2014.
Afghan forces have been given responsibility for the city of Kabul since 2008, when NATO handed over security control, but in reality NATO forces still police the area heavily. There is growing unease in the United States and Europe about the costly and increasingly violent war that has dragged on for 10 years, causing U.S. lawmakers to question whether bringing home all combat troops by 2014 is fast enough. NATO and the United States earlier this year reluctantly backed Kabul's peace plan, which involves reconciliation with some members of the Taliban. The Taliban have repeatedly said they will not negotiate with the Afghan government until all foreigners have stopped fighting in their country. A spokesman for the United Nations denied earlier reports that one of its compounds in Kabul had been attacked.

                                                      Prof. John Kurakar

No comments: