| The Taliban decided to help Saddam Iraq is not the only place where foreign troops have been subject to surprise attacks. The day before yesterday three rockets exploded in Kabul. One was aimed at the headquarters of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan (ISAF), the second rocket fell near the US Embassy and a warehouse with military equipment located in the same area, and the third exploded in the south-eastern part of Kabul. After the explosions, police cars headed to the scene. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
The last time something similar happened in Kabul was in early February when two rockets exploded near a field camp where peacekeeping troops were stationed. Hours before the attack, Germany and the Netherlands assumed command of the international peacekeeping force in Afghanistan. Current events in Kabul show that the situation in Afghanistan is still far from stable. Moreover, as one might expect, the war in Iraq has escalated even more.
Afghan authorities believe Sunday's attack was carried out either by the Taliban and al-Qaeda militants, or by Islamists from Gulbuddin Hekmatyar's group. Yesterday, Afghan security forces arrested former Taliban trade minister Mullah Abdul Razzaq. He was detained in a mountainous area 80 km north of the city of Kandahar. Dozens of Taliban supporters were arrested along with Razzak.
The American military notes that since the beginning of the war in Iraq, sabotage against Western troops by Afghan militants has intensified. Yesterday it became known that more than 300 volunteers from the pro-Taliban Afghan opposition group Jamia Shababul Muslimin are ready to go to Iraq to assist in the fight against “Anglo-American aggression.” This was stated by the leader of the organization Nasir Ahmad Ruhi. He also noted that “a detachment of young, well-trained and armed members of the group will leave Afghanistan by Tuesday and head to Iraq.” Anastasia ERMAKOVA |
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