Kabul – Assassination Attempt

He has managed to escape several assassination attempts. Who knows what happens next.

Since the beginning of 2008, there had not been any big incidence in Kabul yet, until today, when the government and people of Afghanistan was proudly celebrating the victory of the Holy War, to commemorate the withdrawal of Russian troops.

I did not go to the scene myself, as the program is restricted to accredited journalits (I am now a freelancer), but some colleagues from Pajhwok went there for reportage since early morning. Nobody expected that the yearly military parade turned to be assassination attempt to President Karzai, and the attack turned bloody. Some TV cameramen and photographers lost their cameras amid the chaos.

Here is the updated news:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=atvXzZBpxTPI&refer=home
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Afghanistan’s President Karzai Is Safe After Attack (Update1)

By Jay Shankar

April 27 (Bloomberg) – Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and foreign dignitaries are safe after an attack on a military parade in the capital, Kabul, the government said. At least one person was killed, Agence France-Presse reported.

“The national police and army acted swiftly and are doing their job,’’ the government said today in an e-mailed statement.

Karzai was escorted to safety from the parade ground after gunfire and explosions erupted. Hundreds of troops fled the venue where the military parade was being held.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is leading international efforts to stabilize the country with its force of 43,000 soldiers. Alliance leaders in April pledged more combat troops to turn back the Taliban-led insurgency and told the Afghan government to start building up the national army to secure peace.

The Taliban movement claimed responsibility for today’s attack, AFP said, citing a spokesman for the group, Zabihullah Mujahed. Some men involved in the attack have been arrested, Karzai said in a televised address.

Karzai has ordered an investigation into the attack, the statement said. “Some of the perpetrators were arrested by the Afghan security personnel,’’ he said in the statement.

At least one person died and 11 were wounded, including members of parliament, according to AFP.

Afghan civilians are increasingly at risk as the Taliban insurgency spreads to eastern and western provinces and the conflict intensifies, the International Committee of the Red Cross said on April 9.

The Red Cross is “extremely concerned about the worsening humanitarian situation in Afghanistan,’’ President Jakob Kellenberger said in the statement. “There is growing insecurity and a clear intensification of the armed conflict.’’