17 September 2019 Afghanistan bombings

On 17 September 2019, two suicide bombings killed over 48 people in Charikar and Kabul, Afghanistan. The first attack occurred at a rally for president Ashraf Ghani which killed over 26 and wounded over 42.[1] Ghani was unharmed in the incident.[2] The second bombing occurred in Kabul near the US embassy. In this incident 22 were killed and another 38 were injured in the explosion.[3] Children and women are among the dead and wounded in both attacks, also multiple soldiers were killed.[4] The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attacks, and said they will commit more attacks to discourage people from voting in the upcoming presidential elections.[5][6]

17 September 2019 Afghanistan bombings
Part of War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
Kabul
Charikar
17 September 2019 Afghanistan bombings (Afghanistan)
LocationCharikar and Kabul, Afghanistan
DateSeptember 17, 2019 (2019-09-17)
Attack type
Suicide bombings
Deaths26 (Charikar)
22 (Kabul)
Total: 48 (+2)
Injured42 (Charikar)
38 (Kabul)
Total: 80
PerpetratorsTaliban

Attacks

Charikar

The attack took place in Charikar, at a police training ground. At the time, Afghan president Ashraf Ghani was holding a political rally at the site, attended by thousands of people. A suicide bomber riding a motorcycle drove into a crowd near a security checkpoint and detonated his explosives. 26 people and the bomber were killed, and 42 others injured. Women and children were among the victims of the attack. President Ghani was unharmed in the attack, remaining protected by a secure compound about half a mile from the site of the blast.[6][7]

Kabul

A few hours after the first attack, a second suicide bombing took place in Massoud Square near the Kabul Green Zone, in an area where several government buildings, the US embassy and NATO headquarters, are located. 22 people were killed in this attack and 38 injured.[3]

Responsibility

The Taliban claimed responsibility for both attacks, and stated that the attacks were aimed at disrupting the Afghan presidential election, scheduled to take place on September 28.[8]

References
  1. "U.S. Green Beret killed in Afghanistan as Taliban bombs leave dozens more dead". CBS News. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  2. "Afghanistan war: Deadly bomb attack hits election rally". BBC. September 17, 2019.
  3. "The Latest: Official says at least 22 killed in Kabul attack". AP NEWS. 2019-09-17. Retrieved 2019-09-17.
  4. "Dozens Dead In Two Afghan Taliban Attacks". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 2019-09-17.
  5. "Taliban attacks kill 48, Afghan leader unhurt as bomber targets rally". Reuters. 2019-09-17. Retrieved 2019-09-17.
  6. "Ghani 'unhurt' as blast kills dozens at Afghan president's rally". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2019-09-17.
  7. Taliban suicide bomber kills at least 26 at Afghan president campaign rally
  8. "At least 48 dead in Taliban bomb attacks in Afghanistan". RTE. Retrieved 2019-09-18.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.