A suicide bomber killed upwards of 10 people in an attack today in the Afghan capital of Kabul. The suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into an armored vehicle. Kabul’s security chief claimed that 10 Afghans were killed, while the Interior Minister said that six people were killed and 22 more were wounded.
Today’s attack took place about 200 yards from the tent where the government will hold the Loya Jirga on Nov. 21. The Bilateral Security Agreement, which maps out the future of a US presence in Afghanistan post-2014, will be discussed by “3,000 elders, clerics, parliamentarians and other influential figures,” The Associated Press reported.
The Afghan Taliban have not claimed credit for the suicide attack. Other possible culprits are the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan and the Haqqani Network, the Afghan Taliban subgroup. All three Taliban groups use suicide bombers, and are known to coordinate attacks in Kabul along with al Qaeda and other jihadist outfits under the Kabul Attack Network.
The Haqqani Network and the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan have both vowed to avenge top leaders Nasiruddin Haqqani and Hakeemullah Mehsud, who were killed in Pakistan earlier this month.
But today’s attack was likely carried out in an attempt to disrupt the Loya Jirga. Earlier today, Afghan President Hamid Karzai invited the Taliban and other insurgent groups in Afghanistan to attend the jirga.
“We invite them, please come to this national jirga of Afghanistan, raise your voice, raise your objection … and share your views,” Karzai said, AFP reported.
The Taliban and their allies swiftly delivered their answer.
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