A U.S. military convoy in eastern Afghanistan came under attack Friday when a suicide bomber detonated a car filled with explosives near the troops, killing four Afghan civilians and wounding 10 others, the latest sign that the Taliban insurgency is ramping up its assaults after a brief winter lull.
No American soldiers were killed or wounded, said Hazrat Hussain Mashreqiwal, a police spokesman for the Nangarhar Province. The attack unfolded at around 10 am local time as the convoy was headed back to their base in the provincial capital Jalalabad, not far from the airport, he said.
The Taliban immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
In a second attack Friday, a roadside bomb in eastern Ghazni province killed 12 passengers travelling in a minivan. All the victims — six women and six men — were from a single family, said Mohammad Ali, the deputy provincial governor. “It is the work of the Taliban,” he added. “They are always behind the roadside mines.”
Friday’s attack was the second assault against U.S. forces in Jalalabad this week. On Wednesday, an Afghan in military uniform, a suspected “insider attack”, opened fire on a group of American soldiers protecting a U.S. Embassy diplomatic mission, killing one American soldier and wounding several others. U.S. troops subsequently killed the assailant in return fire. One Afghan soldier and two others were also wounded in the gun-battle. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, though suspicion is focused on the Taliban or a fringe group aligned with the insurgency.
That attack, which happened outside the provincial governor’s compound, took place about eight miles from the U.S. military base, near where Friday’s attack occurred. Both incidents highlight the threats faced by the roughly 10,000 American soldiers who remain in Afghanistan, following the departure of most international forces at the end of last year.
The Taliban are increasing their assaults on Afghan government personnel and institutions, as well as targeting those assisting the government. On Thursday, gunmen dressed in Afghan police uniforms attacked the attorney general’s office in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, killing 10 and wounding scores. The Taliban also claimed responsibility for that assault, which unfolded in the country’s most stable and peaceful city and took six hours to quell.
In the past three weeks, there has been a suicide bombing in the southeastern city of Khost that killed 18 and wounded scores of people in the middle of a demonstration against the provincial governor.
Another suicide bomber killed seven and wounded 36 near the finance ministry and presidential palace in the capital, Kabul. And days before that, another suicide bomber assassinated an influential regional police commander.
Last year was the deadliest on record for Afghan soldiers and civilians, and most Afghan officials, including President Ashraf Ghani, are predicting that the nation is on the brink of a difficult spring and summer, expecting the Taliban to intensify their offensive.
With this in mind, Ghani, during his recent visit to Washington, was able to secure an agreement from President Obama to slow down the planned downsizing of U.S. forces in the country. That, both US and Afghan officials hope, will allow more time to train and advise the country’s security forces, who so far have struggled to fill the void left by the departure of foreign troops.
SuperFan Badge
SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.
|
Culture Connoisseur Badge
Culture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.
|
Fact Checker Badge
Fact Checkers contribute questions, information and facts to .
|
Washingtologist Badge
Washingtologists consistently post thought-provoking, timely comments on events, communities, and trends in the Washington area.
|
Post Writer Badge
This commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.
Post Forum Badge
Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.
|
Weather Watcher Badge
Weather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.
|
World Watcher Badge
World Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.
|
Post Contributor Badge
This commenter is a Washington Post contributor. Post contributors aren’t staff, but may write articles or columns. In some cases, contributors are sources or experts quoted in a story.
|
Post Recommended
Washington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.
You must be logged in to report a comment.
You must be logged in to recommend a comment.
Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in , as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.
All comments are posted in the tab.
To pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.