Let's face it, just about everytime Afghan President Karzai has some sort of peace conference or key meeting, there's a Taliban attack on the event and today was no different as a suicide squad of Taliban attacked the outside conference - the attendees of the conference from all over Afghanistan were not killed or injured in the attack but it sounds like it got pretty close.
From the report at Times Online:
I can't help but scratch my head regarding these attacks - I'm certainly not privy to what happens in the security lead up to these events but it seems to me that the Afghans handle their own security for them and every bloody time they get hit like this. I wonder, has Karzai ever thought of having NATO handle the security? And I'm no expert on this type of situation but one thing I've noticed about the Afghan government is that they have such a long lead up to these types of conference that I'm sure the Taliban plant their attacker well before the event near by - the article talks about how stringent the security check points were for the event but hell, if the Taliban placed these four jihadis into a house within reach weeks before the event, your security check points won't mean squat.
From the report at Times Online:
A Taleban suicide squad disguised in Afghan army uniforms clashed with security forces this morning as President Karzai welcomed hundreds of dignitaries to a massive peace conference in Kabul.
Three rockets aimed at the oversize marquee fell short of their intended target, police said, but fighting could still be heard more than an hour after the first explosion. At least one of the attackers was reported to have blown himself up.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Interior said police had surrounded a house around 500 yards from the giant tent, where the meeting is taking place.
“There is terrorist activity going on in a house in Afshar. The house has been surrounded by police,” said Zemarai Bashary.
Zabiullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taleban, said a group of four suicide bombers disguised in Afghan army uniforms had attacked the Jirga. He said they were aiming “to sabotage and destroy this peace jirga” and vowed all four would fight to the death.
I can't help but scratch my head regarding these attacks - I'm certainly not privy to what happens in the security lead up to these events but it seems to me that the Afghans handle their own security for them and every bloody time they get hit like this. I wonder, has Karzai ever thought of having NATO handle the security? And I'm no expert on this type of situation but one thing I've noticed about the Afghan government is that they have such a long lead up to these types of conference that I'm sure the Taliban plant their attacker well before the event near by - the article talks about how stringent the security check points were for the event but hell, if the Taliban placed these four jihadis into a house within reach weeks before the event, your security check points won't mean squat.
Taleban suicide squad attacks peace talks in Kabul
A Taleban suicide squad disguised in Afghan army uniforms clashed with security forces this morning as President Karzai welcomed hundreds of dignitaries to a massive peace conference in Kabul.
Three rockets aimed at the oversize marquee fell short of their intended target, police said, but fighting could still be heard more than an hour after the first explosion. At least one of the attackers was reported to have blown himself up.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Interior said police had surrounded a house around 500 yards from the giant tent, where the meeting is taking place.
“There is terrorist activity going on in a house in Afshar. The house has been surrounded by police,” said Zemarai Bashary.
The fighting erupted just as President Karzai was addressing guests at a the Consultative Peace Jirga — which is designed to garner a consensus on how and when to negotiate with the insurgents.
Eyewitnesses said the President, who has survived three assassination attempts, calmly tried to reassure the delegates as some of them began to panic. “Sit down, nothing will happen,” he said. “I have become used to this. Everyone is used to this.”
The attack is likely to embarrass security chiefs who swamped the capital with checkpoints in the run up to this morning’s well publicised conference.
Despite record numbers of Nato and Afghan forces, the Taleban have repeatedly shown their ability to strike seemingly well-guarded targets. Last month they launched two audacious attacks against the two main US and Nato bases, at Bagram and Kandahar Airfield.
President Karzai had delayed the conference, due to take place last month, so he could travel to Washington to meet Barack Obama.
Mr Karzai has been widely criticised for filling the meeting with his allies and failing to invite any senior Taleban representatives.
The Taleban have publically boycotted the event, while fighters loyal to Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a semi-autonomous insurgent group, also refused to take part.
Zabiullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taleban, said a group of four suicide bombers disguised in Afghan army uniforms had attacked the Jirga. He said they were aiming “to sabotage and destroy this peace jirga” and vowed all four would fight to the death.
The meeting is taking place in Afghanistan’s Loya Jirga, or Grand Assembly tent, in the grounds of Kabul Polytechnic University. The site is overlooked by hills on three sides.
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