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Kabul siege ends but militants give reminder of their strength
Source: Agencies |
September 15, 2011, Thursday
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A MARATHON siege in Kabul's diplomatic enclave ended yesterday with the death of the last two of a group of gunmen who had held off Western and Afghan security forces for nearly 20 hours, showering rockets on Western embassies in a dramatic show of insurgent strength.
It was the longest and most audacious militant attack on the Afghan capital in the decade since the Taliban were ousted from power and a stark reminder of insurgents' resources and reach as Western forces start to return home.
At least 11 civilians were killed, three of them children, NATO-led foreign forces said. The Ministry of the Interior said four policemen died, and that toll was likely to rise.
US Ambassador Ryan Crocker said around six or seven rockets had hit inside the embassy perimeter during the early hours of the attack, launched early on Tuesday afternoon, but said the range meant they had not posed a serious threat.
"They were firing from at least 800 meters away and with an RPG (rocket-propelled grenade). That's harassment. That's not an attack," he said.
The insurgents had holed up in a multi-story building under construction and launched their attack by firing rockets toward the US and other embassies and the headquarters of NATO-led foreign forces.
Three suicide bombers also targeted police buildings in other parts of the city, but the embassy district assault was the most spectacular.
Afghan security forces backed by NATO and Afghan attack helicopters fought floor-by-floor in the 13-story building, which the six insurgents appeared to have booby-trapped.
They had arrived disguised as women in burqas, in a car packed with explosives, and entered the high-rise after shooting a security guard.
"As our country is traditional and Islamic, there is a special respect for women and the enemies exploited this to get to the building," Kabul Police Chief Ayoub Salangi said.
The gunmen hid from helicopters and government and foreign troops in lift shafts and a maze of small rooms.
The group was armed with rocket-propelled grenade launchers, AK-47 assault rifles and bomb vests, a Taliban spokesman said, but the time they held out prompted speculation they had hidden weapons in the building.
"There was almost certainly either a breakdown in security among the Afghans with responsibility for Kabul or an intelligence failure," said Andrew Exum, fellow at the Center for a New American Security.
Embassies and restaurants frequented by foreigners were on lock-down on Tuesday evening. The US and British embassies and the NATO-led coalition said staff were safe.
Ambassador Crocker said he believed the Haqqani network was behind the attack.
Violence is at its worst since US-backed Afghan forces toppled the Taliban government in late 2001.
It was the longest and most audacious militant attack on the Afghan capital in the decade since the Taliban were ousted from power and a stark reminder of insurgents' resources and reach as Western forces start to return home.
At least 11 civilians were killed, three of them children, NATO-led foreign forces said. The Ministry of the Interior said four policemen died, and that toll was likely to rise.
US Ambassador Ryan Crocker said around six or seven rockets had hit inside the embassy perimeter during the early hours of the attack, launched early on Tuesday afternoon, but said the range meant they had not posed a serious threat.
"They were firing from at least 800 meters away and with an RPG (rocket-propelled grenade). That's harassment. That's not an attack," he said.
The insurgents had holed up in a multi-story building under construction and launched their attack by firing rockets toward the US and other embassies and the headquarters of NATO-led foreign forces.
Three suicide bombers also targeted police buildings in other parts of the city, but the embassy district assault was the most spectacular.
Afghan security forces backed by NATO and Afghan attack helicopters fought floor-by-floor in the 13-story building, which the six insurgents appeared to have booby-trapped.
They had arrived disguised as women in burqas, in a car packed with explosives, and entered the high-rise after shooting a security guard.
"As our country is traditional and Islamic, there is a special respect for women and the enemies exploited this to get to the building," Kabul Police Chief Ayoub Salangi said.
The gunmen hid from helicopters and government and foreign troops in lift shafts and a maze of small rooms.
The group was armed with rocket-propelled grenade launchers, AK-47 assault rifles and bomb vests, a Taliban spokesman said, but the time they held out prompted speculation they had hidden weapons in the building.
"There was almost certainly either a breakdown in security among the Afghans with responsibility for Kabul or an intelligence failure," said Andrew Exum, fellow at the Center for a New American Security.
Embassies and restaurants frequented by foreigners were on lock-down on Tuesday evening. The US and British embassies and the NATO-led coalition said staff were safe.
Ambassador Crocker said he believed the Haqqani network was behind the attack.
Violence is at its worst since US-backed Afghan forces toppled the Taliban government in late 2001.
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