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Suicide Bomber Kills Guards at Police Compound Near Kabul Airport Suicide Bomber Kills Guards At Afghan Police Compound
(about 7 hours later)
KABUL, Afghanistan — A Taliban suicide bomber killed at least four foreign security guards on Tuesday, steering an explosives-laden motorcycle into an Afghan police compound and past several checkpoints before blowing up in an area occupied by trainers from DynCorp International, an American military contractor.KABUL, Afghanistan — A Taliban suicide bomber killed at least four foreign security guards on Tuesday, steering an explosives-laden motorcycle into an Afghan police compound and past several checkpoints before blowing up in an area occupied by trainers from DynCorp International, an American military contractor.
The victims, three from Nepal and one from Peru, were guarding the entrance to buildings used by DynCorp within a fortified compound run by the Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan said Sayed Mahdi Kazemi, a spokesman for the counternarcotics force. Seven other people were wounded, he said, including an Afghan prosecutor. The victims, three from Nepal and one from Peru, were guarding the entrance to buildings used by DynCorp within a fortified compound run by the Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan, said Sayed Mahdi Kazemi, a spokesman for the counternarcotics force. Seven other people were wounded, he said, including an Afghan prosecutor.
Mr. Kazemi said that the Afghan police manned multiple checkpoints between the DynCorp offices, where police trainers work, and the main entrance to the police compound, which also houses the offices of Afghanistan’s deputy interior minister for counternarcotics. Though he refused to discuss how the bomber had made it past the police, Hashmatullah Stanikzai, a spokesman for the police in Kabul, said the attacker went undetected because he had been wearing the same uniform as the foreign guards. Mr. Kazemi said the Afghan police staffed multiple checkpoints between the DynCorp offices, where police trainers work, and the main entrance to the police compound, which also houses the offices of Afghanistan’s deputy interior minister for counternarcotics. Though he refused to discuss how the bomber had made it past the police, Hashmatullah Stanikzai, a spokesman for the police in Kabul, said the attacker went undetected because he had been wearing the same uniform as the foreign guards.
An official from the NATO-led military coalition said there were suspicions that the attacker had inside help. An Afghan in a uniform worn by foreign guards would “strike me as more suspicious, not less, right?” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid antagonizing his Afghan counterparts.An official from the NATO-led military coalition said there were suspicions that the attacker had inside help. An Afghan in a uniform worn by foreign guards would “strike me as more suspicious, not less, right?” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid antagonizing his Afghan counterparts.
The compound is close to Kabul’s airport and near the scene of a Taliban assault last week that disrupted flights into and out of the city for hours. That attack, the Taliban said, was partly aimed at cutting off the Afghan capital from its main link to the world beyond Afghanistan.The compound is close to Kabul’s airport and near the scene of a Taliban assault last week that disrupted flights into and out of the city for hours. That attack, the Taliban said, was partly aimed at cutting off the Afghan capital from its main link to the world beyond Afghanistan.
The insurgents also took credit for the attack Tuesday. Zabiullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, called DynCorp’s part of the counternarcotics compound “the center of foreign intelligence forces” and claimed that 15 foreign soldiers had been killed or wounded. The insurgents also took credit for the attack on Tuesday. Zabiullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, called DynCorp’s part of the counternarcotics compound “the center of foreign intelligence forces” and claimed that 15 foreign soldiers had been killed or wounded.
Security guards from countries like Nepal and Peru are common at foreign military and diplomatic compounds in Afghanistan. The guards, many of whom are Nepalese veterans of the British Army’s Gurkha regiments, usually provide a layer of security behind the Afghan police and security guards, who man the first line of checkpoints. Security guards from countries like Nepal and Peru are common at foreign military and diplomatic compounds in Afghanistan. The guards, many of them Nepalese veterans of the British Army’s Gurkha regiments, usually provide a layer of security behind the Afghan police and security guards, who staff the first line of checkpoints.
The setup is used because of deep concerns about the efficacy and loyalty of the police, a force that is riddled with corruption and drug use. It also provides a final layer of defense should Afghan guards turn on the foreigners they are guarding.The setup is used because of deep concerns about the efficacy and loyalty of the police, a force that is riddled with corruption and drug use. It also provides a final layer of defense should Afghan guards turn on the foreigners they are guarding.