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Suicide blast at NATO base kills 9
Source: Agencies |
February 28, 2012, Tuesday
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A SUICIDE car bomber rammed his vehicle into the gates of a NATO base and airport in eastern Afghanistan yesterday, triggering a blast that killed nine Afghans, officials said. The Taliban claimed the attack was revenge for United States troops burning copies of the Quran.
The bombing in the city of Jalalabad follows six days of deadly protests in the country over the disposal of Qurans and other Islamic texts in a burn pit last week at a US military base north of Kabul.
American officials have called the disposal of the books a mistake and have issued a series of apologies. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has urged calm, calling on his countrymen not to allow insurgents to capitalize on their indignation to spark violence.
About 40 people have been killed in protests and related attacks since the incident became known last Tuesday, including four US soldiers. NATO, France, Britain and the US have pulled their advisers from Afghan ministries out of concern that the anti-foreigner anger might erupt again.
Yesterday, the United Nations also scaled back its operations, moving its international staff from an office in the northern city of Kunduz that was attacked during protests last Saturday, it said in a statement.
The evacuation was ordered "to put in place additional arrangements and measures to make sure the office can continue to operate in safety," the UN said, adding that the move is temporary and that staff will be relocated within Afghanistan.
In yesterday's attack, the bomber drove up to the gates of the airport, which primarily serves international military aircraft, and detonated his explosives in a "very strong" blast shortly after daybreak, said Nangarhar provincial police spokesman Hazrad Mohammad.
Among the dead were six civilians, two airport guards and one soldier, Mohammad said. Another six people were wounded, he added.
NATO forces spokesman Captain Justin Brockhoff said that no international forces were killed in the attack and that the base was not breached by the blast.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying a suicide car bomber had driven up to the airport gate and detonated his explosives as international forces were changing from night to morning guard duty.
"This attack is revenge against those soldiers who burned our Quran," Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in an email.
The bombing in the city of Jalalabad follows six days of deadly protests in the country over the disposal of Qurans and other Islamic texts in a burn pit last week at a US military base north of Kabul.
American officials have called the disposal of the books a mistake and have issued a series of apologies. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has urged calm, calling on his countrymen not to allow insurgents to capitalize on their indignation to spark violence.
About 40 people have been killed in protests and related attacks since the incident became known last Tuesday, including four US soldiers. NATO, France, Britain and the US have pulled their advisers from Afghan ministries out of concern that the anti-foreigner anger might erupt again.
Yesterday, the United Nations also scaled back its operations, moving its international staff from an office in the northern city of Kunduz that was attacked during protests last Saturday, it said in a statement.
The evacuation was ordered "to put in place additional arrangements and measures to make sure the office can continue to operate in safety," the UN said, adding that the move is temporary and that staff will be relocated within Afghanistan.
In yesterday's attack, the bomber drove up to the gates of the airport, which primarily serves international military aircraft, and detonated his explosives in a "very strong" blast shortly after daybreak, said Nangarhar provincial police spokesman Hazrad Mohammad.
Among the dead were six civilians, two airport guards and one soldier, Mohammad said. Another six people were wounded, he added.
NATO forces spokesman Captain Justin Brockhoff said that no international forces were killed in the attack and that the base was not breached by the blast.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying a suicide car bomber had driven up to the airport gate and detonated his explosives as international forces were changing from night to morning guard duty.
"This attack is revenge against those soldiers who burned our Quran," Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in an email.
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