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Afghan intelligence forces stormed a Haqqani Network safe house in Kabul City’s 17th Police District (Khair Khana area) on May 29, 2013 and detained six would-be suicide bombers equipped with suicide vests and other explosives. |
Late on May 29, Afghan National Directorate of Security (NDS) forces stormed a militant safe house in the 17th Police District (Khair Khana area) of Kabul City and arrested six would-be suicide bombers. A seventh militant was killed in the operation. The late night operation thwarted a major suicide attack that was being planned for Kabul City, according to Afghan intelligence officials.
More details were reported by ToloNews:
Shafiqullah Taheri, NDS Spokesman while talking at a press conference in Kabul said that the detained group aimed to target various parts of Kabul city.
“The NDS staff, in a night operation succeeded in capturing Mullah Tor Gul, son of Dadullah, an inhabitant of the northern Baghlan province along with his group. The group was carrying suicide vests and numerous weapons,” NDS Spokesman told reporters.
“The suicide bombers belong to the Haqqani Network and were planning to carry out terror attacks on various government organizations of Kabul city. They were working in coordination with Pakistan’s intelligence organisation- ISI,” Shafiqullah Taheri said.
Agents found five explosives-filled vests, a grenade launcher, assault rifles, and maps and documents indicating that the militants planned to attack government facilities in the capital, NDS spokesman Shafiqullah Tahiri told the Associated Press.
NDS forces launched the raid just hours after Taliban militants launched two separate complex assaults involving six-man suicide bomber cadres in different parts of the country. Those attacks occurred just hours apart; the first one targeted the Panjshir Provincial Governor’s compound, and the second attack targeted an International Committee of the Red Cross compound in Jalalabad City in Nangarhar province. [See Threat Matrix, Taliban suicide assault team storms governor’s compound in Panjshir, and Taliban launch second suicide assault in Jalalabad.] The bungled attacks were largely repulsed by Afghan security forces, resulting in minimal casualties in both attacks, but provided the Taliban with propaganda fodder in support of this year’s “Khalid bin Waleed” offensive.
Earlier this week, NDS operatives intercepted a tractor rigged with explosives on the outskirts of Kandahar City, effectively preventing a mass casualty attack.
For previous coverage of NDS operations, see the following Long War Journal and Threat Matrix reports:
Afghan intelligence thwarts major attack against Kandahar City, May 26, 2013 Afghan forces thwart unprecedented terror plot in Kabul, Mar. 16, 2013 Afghan intelligence thwarts terror plots in Kabul, Logar, and Parwan, Aug. 31, 2012 Afghan intelligence thwarts complex assault plot in Kabul; Pakistani suspect, 4 others arrested, Aug. 12, 2012 Afghan intel kills 5 members of Haqqani Network suicide cell in Kabul, Aug. 2, 2012 Afghan intelligence thwarts 3rd major terror plot in Kabul, May 3, 2012 Afghan intelligence seizes 11 tons of explosives, thwarts additional terror plots, April 21, 2012 Afghan intelligence captures 3 members of northern assassination cell, Feb. 7, 2012 Afghan intelligence operations take on significant role, Sept. 21, 2011 Afghan NDS continues crackdown on counterfeit uniforms, Sept. 5, 2011 Haqqani Network directed Kabul hotel assault by phone from Pakistan, Sept. 3, 2011 NDS dismantles Kabul Attack Network cell, Aug. 28, 2011 Elite Afghan force destroys insurgent explosives cache, Aug. 22, 2011 NDS smashes Haqqani Network plots in Kabul, July 31, 2011
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5 Comments
great work by the NDS
Funny how when the Afghan military thwarts a terrorist attack, that attack is said to be bungled. When the terrorist have some success in an attack, that attack is said to be complex.
Good on the NDS, now if Obama could just get the BSA/ defacto permanent bases deal done already then a blow to Taliban morale can be done along with their previous eviction from population centers.
I am curious what the gap seems to be between the NDS, who seems very sharp, and the regular ANA, who we keep getting reports of troops deserting positions in firefights, etc.
Alex, could you be more specific about which ANA battalions you are hearing negative reports about?
Much of Afghanistan has MoI security lead. In many of these areas it is easier for the NDS to operate than the MoD.