Terrorists Martyr 14 in Attack against Ashura Ceremonies in Afghanistan
Local Editor
In a new aggression against Muslim ceremonies in Afghanistan, terrorists targeted Shiite pilgrims in Kabul late Tuesday, martyring at least 14 people as they gathered to commemorate Ashura.
The attack in the Afghan capital marked unraveling security as the resurgent Taliban continued to pressure Afghan forces, with hundreds of commandos sent to reinforce the provincial capital Lashkar Gah in the south.
Some 36 people were wounded and at least one attacker killed in the Kabul attack, interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said.
Special forces had briefly entered the Karte Sakhi shrine near Kabul University to see if any more militants were sheltering inside, with police evacuating people from the area, officials said.
Of the 14 martyred, 13 were civilians and one a police officer. Three police were among the wounded, Seddiqi said.
"A number of attackers have targeted people in Karte Sakhi shrine," said Kabul Police chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi.
"Police have evacuated dozens of people from the shrine." Police also said two grenades had been detonated during the attack.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the assault, which President Ashraf Ghani condemned as a "clear sign of a crime against humanity."
Ghani vowed the government would use its "maximum capacity" to provide security during Ashura, which will be celebrated on Wednesday.
The threat of attack targeting Shiites was considered particularly serious during Ashura, and many foreign embassies had restricted their staff's movements until the end of the week in Kabul.
Tuesday's attack came as Afghanistan deployed hundreds of commandos backed by NATO air strikes in Lashkar Gah to drive Taliban insurgents from the southern city after their latest attempt to seize the capital of Helmand province.
"More than 300 commandos... have been deployed to the city to prevent Taliban advancement," said Abdul Jabar Qahraman, government special envoy for security in Helmand.
A NATO spokesman said at least two airstrikes had been carried out in Helmand on Monday defending Afghan troops.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
