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Death toll from wave of Kabul attacks rises

August 8, 2015

Further fatalities have been confirmed from a barrage of bombings in Kabul, taking the toll to at least 50. Friday was the deadliest day in the Afghan capital since the NATO combat mission ended in December.

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Kabul attacks
Image: Reuters/A. Masood

A wave of attacks on Afghan army, police and US special forces in Kabul on Friday killed at least 50 people and wounded hundreds. It was the deadliest day in Kabul in years.

The bloodshed began when a truck bomb exploded in a heavily populated district of the capital and ended with an hours-long battle at a base used by US special forces.

Taliban fighters claimed responsibility for both a police academy attack and a battle at a US military base, but not for a truck bomb - as they usually do in attacks that result in mass civilian casualties. The scale of the violence heightened obstacles to reviving the stalled peace process in Afghanistan, conveying a no-compromise message from the Taliban at a delicate time following Mullah Mohammad Omar's death last week.

Afghanistan Anschläge in Kabul Anschlagserie
The series of attacks affected several parts of Kabul, devastating entire neighborhoodsImage: Getty Images/AFP/W. Kohsar

The number of casualties from the attacks was expected to rise as authorities continued to provide more details.

Meticulously coordinated attacks

In the first attack, a powerful truck bomb tore through the centre of Kabul just after midnight on Friday, killing 15 civilians and wounding 240 others. Less than 24 hours later, 27 cadets and civilians were killed when a suicide bomber dressed in police uniform blew himself up at the entrance of Kabul Police Academy.

On Saturday, NATO-led coalition forces confirmed that one international service member and eight Afghan contractors were killed in the attack on Camp Integrity, the base used by US special forces near the main airport. The blast outside the base was powerful enough to flatten offices inside, wounding occupants who were airlifted by helicopter to military hospitals during the night.

Kabul blood donor
With hospitals running low on blood transfusions, locals have organised spontaneous donations pointsImage: DW/H. Sirat

Camp Integrity is run by US security contractor Academi, which was known as Blackwater before being sold to investors. Academi did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Power struggle within Taliban

The bombings were the first major attacks since Mullah Akhtar Mansour was named as the new Taliban chief last week. Experts said the escalating violence demonstrates Mullah Mansour's attempt to boost his image among Taliban cadres and drive attention away from internal rifts over his leadership.

"The new wave of attacks is a tactic by the Taliban's new leadership to show they are capable, potent and operational," security analyst Abdul Hadi Khaled said. "The demise of Mullah Omar divided the movement and affected the morale of their ground fighters. Hitting Kabul with a wave of powerful attacks is a way of showcasing their strength."

Lasting legacy of war

After 13 years of war, US-led NATO forces ended their combat mission in Afghanistan in December, leaving behind a 13,000-strong residual force for training and counter-terrorism operations.

The United Nations said Wednesday that almost 5,000 civilians had been injured or killed in the first six months of 2015 as a result of government fighting with the Taliban and Islamic State militants - the highest number since it started recording in 2009.

ss/gsw (Reuters, AFP, dpa)