Another suicide bomb attack in Kabul has revealed the determination of the Taliban. It wants to test the strength of the afghanistan forces and their ability to prevent attacks on innocents. The latest instance took place in the center of the capital, and the Suicide Bomber used an ambulance loaded with explosives. The death toll was 95 with another 158 injured. It seems the attack was carried out in an area that is considered to be a secure zone. Many government offices and foreign embassies are located in the area and the attackers drove the vehicle past a police checkpoint.
BBC reports that the Taliban have accepted responsibility for this attack. US President Donald Trump has termed the incident as a "despicable" bombing incident and feels the authorities must take "decisive action."
Details of the attack
The attack was in a crowded shopping area of Kabul, popularly known as Chicken Street where the offices of the European Union and a hospital are located. There are two police checkpoints in the area. According to an official of the Interior Ministry, the suicide bomber was driving the vehicle. He got past the first checkpoint by saying that the patient in the ambulance had to be taken to the hospital. Later, he detonated the bomb at a second checkpoint. It is strange how the vehicle was allowed to go through the secure zone in spite of strict laid down procedures that include searching of vehicles and confirming the identity of drivers.
The Taliban holds control of large areas of Afghanistan. Recently the militants had killed 22 people in a luxury hotel in Kabul, and the ambulance attack is believed to be the deadliest in the city in several months. The militant group keeps targeting Afghan security forces and they have suffered heavy casualties.
US presence in Afghanistan
According to Newsweek, former president Barack Obama had declared an end to the war in Afghanistan in December 2014. His administration had recalled most of the US troops, leaving only a handful in an advisory capacity to render assistance to the local forces.
However, the Trump administration has reversed the decision and the total number of troops now stands at around 15,000.
The Pentagon had earlier acknowledged that 11,000 of them were stationed in Afghanistan to counter the Taliban. The group has control of 13 percent of the districts and wants to increase that by asserting its superiority. The militants carry out regular attacks by deploying suicide bombers which appears to be one of their strategies.
