Afghan civilians mourn as Kabul targeted by Taliban and ISIS – The National

Afghan civilians mourn as Kabul targeted by Taliban and ISIS – The National

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The Afghan Taliban and ISIS carried out bomb attacks in Kabul on Thursday that killed at least 11 people including a Nato soldier and injured scores of civilians.

Interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said a suicide bomber on a motorcycle rammed into the Nato convoy at about 8am near the Green Village, a compound on the outskirts of the Afhgan capital that houses many foreign organisations and has come under frequent attack.

Croatia’s Defence Minister Damir Krsticevic said one Croatian soldier was killed in the attack and two others were injured.

Social media accounts linked to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack on the Nato convoy, while ISIS said it carried out the two other bombings in Kabul on Thursday.

At least 10 people were killed when another motorcycle-borne suicide bomber attacked a minibus carrying employees of the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, including five women and one child. The second blast was set off by a suicide bomber targeting rescuers who arrived to assist those injured on the bus.

“My daughter and son were taking their younger brother for vaccination when the explosion happened. They were rushed to this hospital, and I was informed but I haven’t seen them,” said Mohammad Tahir, 55, speaking to The National outside the Emergency War and Trauma Hospital where he was waiting for news about his children aged 9 and 12.

“My daughter has injuries on her leg and my son has stomach wounds. The youngest baby they were accompanying is uninjured thanks to his older siblings,” he said, choking back tears.

The Taliban have increased their attacks on the Afghan capital and across the country despite the ongoing peace talks with the US administration. The latest came as the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford was meeting top US and Nato officials in the city. Mr Dunford was also scheduled to meet Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is in Kabul this week, is expected to travel to Qatar’s capital Doha in coming days for the new round of talks with the Taliban.

However, for those like Mr Tahir, the wait for peace has been a heavy one to bear.

“What sort of peace deal will this be? How will they answer to God for all this they have done? If these terrorist believe in judgment day, trust me these people will have no answer to God.”

Read full story on The National UAE

About Post Author

Ruchi

I am an Indian journalist based in Kabul for nearly three years now. I primarily covering post-conflict, developmental and cultural stories from the region, and sometimes report on the ongoing conflict as well.
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