Kabul: India and Pakistan's Battlefield
Thursday, 11 March 2010 12:42 
Killid Commentary
On Friday morning, Feb 26, all of Kabul was greeted by violence, death and mayhem.
It started with a massive suicide bombing near City Center and the sound of explosions, gun-shots and rocket propelled grenades hitting concrete and glass soon filled the entire neighborhood.
A gun-battle ensued, as police and army forces engaged insurgents on the very streets of the city. In all, 17 people were killed and 38 more were injured. The damage to businesses and homes will likely total into the hundreds-of-thousands of dollars, if not more.
Because the attack fell early in the morning on a national holiday--the Prophet Mohammad's (PBUH) birthday--casualties were less than they would have been had the bombings been carried out at almost any other time.
The insurgent's target was clear: Indian nationals and other foreigners.
One of their main targets of attack was a guest-house used by Indian doctors who had just started working at Indira Ghandi Hospital the week before. After the smoke cleared and the fighting ceased, six Indians were dead and ten wounded, the most of any type of foreign national. Four of the wounded are in critical condition, according to Indian media.
Though the Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attacks, many Afghans suspect that Pakistan may be behind them.
The fact that Indians were targeted just one day after failed talks between Pakistan and India's foreign ministers, says that these attacks may have been fueled by a broader regional conflict. And it wouldn't be the first time that ISI, Pakistan's intelligence agency, has been suspected of involvement in an attack on the Afghan capital.
Last fall, when an explosion rocked the Indian embassy in Kabul, Afghan police and security officials suspected that ISI may have had a hand in the operation, the second time that the Indian embassy was attacked in as many years.
Pakistan and India have long been at odds. Once part of the same nation, bloody partition left an indelible mark on both of these countries. Since that time, Pakistan have engaged in a nuclear arms race and fought shooting battles over the disputed border in Kashmir. Now it seems that they have taken their conflict to our country.
India has recently stepped up its commitment to Afghanistan, by offering to train and equip the Afghan National Army and border police. Among nation's that do not have active military fighting in Afghanistan, India is already one of the largest donors here, with $1.1 billion in ongoing development projects underway.
Pakistan, of course, also has vital interests in Afghanistan. They dispute the Durand Line border shared by the two nations and have long wanted an Islamabad-friendly government in Kabul. India's involvement in Afghanistan has long been viewed as meddling by the Pakistani government.
Unfortunately for Afghans, this historic dispute now appears to be playing out in the streets of our cities and valleys of our countryside.
The Afghan security forces were severely tested on the day of the attacks, with many saying that these men came up short.
The attacks happened just a few blocks from the offices of The Ministry of Interior and National Directorate of Security and the fact that such a violent and dramatic display could be carried off by insurgents so close the heart of Afghanistan's security apparatus is troubling.
The Afghan media and political analysts castigated the security forces response as inadequate and as a result, the head of Kabul's Criminal Investigations Department resigned his post. He was followed shortly by the Kabul Chief of Police and the director of Kabul's War and Crime Division.
The resignations must be approved by the Minister of Interior, so it is yet unclear whether these men will remain in their posts. But many welcome the changing of the guard and hope that new blood will reinvigorate these moribund agencies.
On the other hand, who will replace these men? Could anyone possibly do better, given the tremendous security challenges that the capital deal with in the face of a massive insurgent threat?
Either way, the effect of these attacks on businesses is sure to be dire.
The City Center shopping plaza was among the most modern and well-stocked in the city. It is now a ruin of glass and twisted metal. This is the second attack on a Kabul commercial center in as many months. In January the Gul Bahar Center--Kabul's other modern shopping facility--was the target of a combined suicide bombing, rocket attack and gun-battle.
Attracting investment to a capital city that is constantly under threat of attack is a steep proposition indeed.
The Afghan government is in no position to solve the long-running disputes between India and Pakistan. Afghanistan is also in no position to turn down assistance from India, a nation which has had historical ties to this one since the days when both were occupied by the British. And every Afghan government for the last thirty years has proven that they are singularly incapable of keep the ISI from getting involved in Afghan affairs, no matter the detriment visited upon Afghans themselves.
It is a tragically difficult situation and Afghan citizens are stuck in the middle.
Comment
Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary regelialia. It is a paradisematic country, in which roasted parts of sentences fly into your mouth. Even the all-powerful Pointing has no control about the blind texts it is an almost unorthographic life One day however a small line of blind text by the name of Lorem Ipsum ... More
- U.S. and Iran contest, Bring Negative Points over Afghans
- Public Concerns about Karzai's Remarks
- The Battle for Baghlan Taliban vs. Hekmatyar
- Kabul: India and Pakistan's Battlefield
- Iraq Lessons Ignored at Kabul Power Plant
- Pakistani Taliban Willing to Join Afghan War
- Abdullah Plays For Time
- Pakistani Offensive, Afghanistan’s Risk
-
Taliban Kidnapped 11Tribal Influences in Badghis
Police officials in Badghis said Taliban kidnapped 11 tribal influences in Miranzey village of Muqur district.
Provincial police chief in Badghis, Said Ahmad Same said Taliban kidnapped these people because they persuaded people to participate in parliamentary election.
He added kidnapped ... -
Officials: 131 Polling Stations Will Block in Western Afghanistan
As security officials announce preparation of 10thousands of security forces to supply security in polling stations western Afghanistan in Election Day, polling stations will block because of insecurity reasons.
Zafar 207 corpse commander, Gen.Shahzade in western Afghanistan announced the ... -
Explosive Raids Prevent in Western Provinces of Afghanistan
Local officials in western Afghanistan said they succeeded to prevent 6 bombing raids in different areas western Afghanistan.
They also added Taliban insurgents launched these explosions in Farah. Ghor and Herat and they intended to make people horror and fear.
Provincial police chief in Farah, ... -
A Bomb Detonated in Ghoryan District, Herat
A bomb blasted in Ghoryan bazaar western Herat last night but there was no casualty toll.
Local officials in Ghoryan district said this explosion did not have any casualty.
Witnesses said the explosion happened in front of a parliamentary candidate and all neighboring windows of the house were ... -
3 Civilians Injured in a Bombing, Badghis
3 locals riding a car, Sarache, injured in a bombing in Qades district Badghis.
Badghis police said injured encountered with the mounting bomb while they were moving from Gulchin village to center of Qades district.
Chairperson of Qala I Naw central hospital said condition of injured is ok and ... -
2 Civilians Killed in a Bombing Herat
A road bomb blast left 2civilians killed and 1 injured in Adresken district southern Herat.
It is said their car was moving from Adresken to Ghor province encountered the bomb and it blasted.
Security officials in western Afghanistan have not claimed anything about this incident yet, but ...
Freedom of speech
