Attack in Logar
- 13 years ago
A suicide bomber is killed Friday when he detonated explosives near the offices of Care International in Logar province.
Three people were injured in the attack some 19 miles south of the Afghan capital Kabul.
A boy describes what happened.
SOUNDBITE: Mohammad Ajmir, saying (Dari):
"I was sitting in my house and suddenly I heard an explosion which broke all of our windows. I was injured and then we ran away,"
This latest round of attacks comes amid heightened tensions between NATO, the United States and Pakistan over the death last week of some two dozen Pakistani soldiers by an air strike.
The attack is still under investigation.
Pakistan has shown its anger over the attack by blocking supply routes for NATO forces in Afghanistan. But so far that is not impacting the war effort.
Brigadier General Carsten Jacobsen in Kabul wa made available to Reuters by the Pentagon.
SOUNDBITE: Brigadier General Carsten Jacobson, saying (English):
"Of course the routes through Pakistan are important. And in particular, transporting equipment through Pakistan on the reasonably short routes from Karachi Harbor to Torkum Gate, on the Northern route and on the Southern route towards Kandahar is cheaper than using alternative routes. At the moment there is no logistical challenge. Stockpiles are sufficient, and of course there are alternative routes, which are more expensive, but we don't see a logistical challenge at the moment. "
Military and civilian casualties hit record levels in 2010, the most violent year of the war since U.S.-backed Afghan forces toppled the Taliban in late 2001.
This year is following a similar trend, with violence growing across Afghanistan since the Taliban announced a spring offensive at the beginning of May.
U.S. commanders had already said they expected a rise in attacks as insurgents hit back after U.S. and NATO forces made gains during operations in the Taliban heartland in the south over the past 18 months.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters
Three people were injured in the attack some 19 miles south of the Afghan capital Kabul.
A boy describes what happened.
SOUNDBITE: Mohammad Ajmir, saying (Dari):
"I was sitting in my house and suddenly I heard an explosion which broke all of our windows. I was injured and then we ran away,"
This latest round of attacks comes amid heightened tensions between NATO, the United States and Pakistan over the death last week of some two dozen Pakistani soldiers by an air strike.
The attack is still under investigation.
Pakistan has shown its anger over the attack by blocking supply routes for NATO forces in Afghanistan. But so far that is not impacting the war effort.
Brigadier General Carsten Jacobsen in Kabul wa made available to Reuters by the Pentagon.
SOUNDBITE: Brigadier General Carsten Jacobson, saying (English):
"Of course the routes through Pakistan are important. And in particular, transporting equipment through Pakistan on the reasonably short routes from Karachi Harbor to Torkum Gate, on the Northern route and on the Southern route towards Kandahar is cheaper than using alternative routes. At the moment there is no logistical challenge. Stockpiles are sufficient, and of course there are alternative routes, which are more expensive, but we don't see a logistical challenge at the moment. "
Military and civilian casualties hit record levels in 2010, the most violent year of the war since U.S.-backed Afghan forces toppled the Taliban in late 2001.
This year is following a similar trend, with violence growing across Afghanistan since the Taliban announced a spring offensive at the beginning of May.
U.S. commanders had already said they expected a rise in attacks as insurgents hit back after U.S. and NATO forces made gains during operations in the Taliban heartland in the south over the past 18 months.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters