# Afghan Parliament attack



## Vikrant (Jun 22, 2015)

This is so unfortunate for the people of Afghanistan. 

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NEW DELHI: In an attack eerily similar to the one on the Indian Parliament in 2001, Taliban militants on Monday tried to storm Afghanistan's Parliament building in Kabul, injuring over 30 civilians, and further heightening worry over the worsening security situation in the country. 

India's ambassador to Afghanistan Amar Singh confirmed to TOI that no Indian had been injured and that the attack did not seem aimed at Indian interests. 

All six gunmen who detonated explosives and fired rockets in the Parliament complex were reported killed by Afghan security forces, and 30 civilians were injured. 

PM Narendra Modi described the attack as despicable and cowardly. "The attack on the Afghanistan Parliament is a despicable and cowardly act. There is no place for such attacks in a democracy," Modi tweeted. "My prayers are with those injured. We stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Afghanistan in this hour," he said in another tweet. 

According to reports, all MPs were safely evacuated after the attack, which came as the Afghan president's nominee for the post of defence minister was to be introduced in Parliament. Afghanistan has not had a confirmed defence minister since the Ashraf Ghani government took over in September last year. The fact that the attack took place late morning, around 10.30 am, suggested that the insurgents were looking at a high-value target. 

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility. "We have launched an attack on Parliament as there was an important gathering to introduce the country's defence minister,'' he said while the attack was still on. 

Reuters quoted Afghan police spokesperson Ebadullah Karimi as saying that the attack started with a Taliban fighter detonating a car loaded with explosives outside Parliament gates. How the driver managed to evade several security checkpoints is being investigated by Afghan authorities. 

The attack comes close on the heels of Taliban's takeover of two important districts, Chardara and Dasht-e-Archi, in Kunduz province, raising serious questions about the ability of Afghan forces to handle Taliban militants. Last month, car bombs were used to attack the ministry of justice, and insurgents stormed two guesthouses. 

A senior Indian official said the attack was "part of the growing trend of violence across Afghanistan, which had picked up in the summer". On a daily basis, "report is coming in of Taliban progress," he said. 

"Ever since the NATO troops pulled out and the US reduced its air strikes, there has been a steady rise in violence levels. It can only get worse in the coming days," the official said. 

"Afghan security forces are struggling against Taliban. It is deeply worrying, and it can only get worse," he added. 

Officials have ruled out any dramatic meltdown of the Afghan government, or a complete takeover by Taliban. "However, the situation is worrisome," one of them said. 

Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, after the little known group charged into Kabul with active support from Pakistan and overturned its liberal culture and established a primitive government. Days after the 9/11 attack in the US by Al Qaeda, the US toppled the Taliban regime in 2001.

No Indian injured in Afghan Parliament attack - The Times of India


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## Delta4Embassy (Jun 27, 2015)

Oh noes! The puppet government we spent over a trillon dollars on got smacked!


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