Afghanistan reels from deadly suicide car bombings

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - A grim mood gripped Afghanistan on Wednesday as the country reeled from Tuesday’s massive multiple-suicide bombings by the Taliban that killed over 70 people.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday shouldered the coffin of a top police chief killed along with his guards in Tuesday’s suicide car bombings in Paktia province.

Flanked by ministers and top security officials, Ghani carried the coffin of police chief Brig. Gen. Toryali Abdiani, who lost his life when the militants stormed the regional police headquarters in Gardez city at around 9.00 a.m. local time (0430 GMT).

Ghani said Afghans aspire for peace and tranquility, but the enemies of Afghanistan are responding with the message of deaths.

“We want peace and have extended hand to achieve it. If the enemies of Afghanistan continue to repeat such tragedies, the people of Afghanistan, religious scholars and commanders of the security forces would stand united against you”, he said.

Wais Ahmad Barmak, interim minister for interior, vowed the security forces would swiftly take revenge of the atrocities committed by the Taliban.

Paktia residents on Wednesday called for the impeachment of top security officials over their alleged failure in preventing the assault of such a large scale.

More than one hundred people, mostly civilians, had been wounded in this attack.

Hefizullah Mubarez, secretary of the provincial assembly, told a presser in Gardez that the intelligence agencies had warned of coordinated suicide attacks on security installations in Gardez, but not enough measures were taken to thwart it.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

The militant group also carried out another attack in central Ghazni province, killing up to 30 people.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the provincial administration said militants blew up an armored vehicle at the entrance of Andar district administration in the wee hours, and later engaged in a gunfight.