April 2012 Afghanistan attacks
Part of War in Afghanistan
US Embassy in Kabul
LocationKabul, Nangarhar, Paktia and Logar provinces
Coordinates33°N 65°E / 33°N 65°E / 33; 65
Date13:00 on 15 April 2012 (2012-04-15)-
07:00 on 16 April 2012 (2012-04-16) AST[1][2] (UTC+04:30)
TargetFive Embassies, ISAF bases, Parliament, government buildings, airport,[3] hotel.
DeathsAt least 47 killed (39 insurgents, 8 security forces, 4 civilians)[4][5][6]
InjuredAt least 44 injured (39 security forces, 5 civilians)
PerpetratorsAfghan Taliban[7]
Haqqani Network (suspected)[8]

The April 2012 Afghanistan attacks[9][10][11] took place on Sunday, 15 April 2012, at around 13:00 local time (08:30 UTC) when heavily armed Taliban insurgents and suicide bombers launched multiple coordinated attacks throughout Afghanistan.[7] Insurgents launched the 2012 spring offensive on multiple locations, including government buildings, military bases, and embassies.[12] Attacks occurred in four Afghan provinces, including Kabul and Paktia.[13] Different reports attribute responsibility for the attacks to either Taliban or the Haqqani network although the Taliban have claimed responsibility.[14]

Background

Between 1996 and 2001, the Taliban controlled large portions of Afghanistan following their emergence as a power bloc in 1992.[15] The majority of Taliban political control centered on Kandahar, although the executive government remained based in the capital, Kabul. During the early parts of the war in Afghanistan, the International Security Assistance Force established a presence in Afghanistan, predominantly around Kabul.

Following a period of stabilization in Afghanistan, attacks started to increase with a growth in suicide bombings since 2006.[16] In 2007, the number of Afghan civilian deaths stood at more than 230.[17] In 2008, there were about 1,000 civilian deaths attributed to the Taliban.[18] In 2011, the number of civilians killed rose 8% from 2010, with over 3,000 civilian deaths. The vast majority of the casualties were due to activities by insurgents.[19] According to the Associated Press, there are around 25,000 Taliban soldiers in Afghanistan in 2012.[20]

Insurgent activities follow an annual pattern with members of the various insurgent groups migrating out of Afghanistan in the winter months. The Spring Offensive is the yearly increase in offensive activity, related to the improving weather, which increases the insurgent groups' ability to maneuver around the country.

Attacks

In the capital of Kabul, many foreign embassies are located in the so-called "Green Zone" of the capital.[21] Since NATO took control of the ISAF in 2003, their headquarters is also in the Green Zone.[22]

Major General Carsten Jacobson, the spokesperson for the International Security Assistance Force, said that militants attacked the United States, German, and British embassies in Kabul.[23] The Iranian embassy was also attacked, as was the newly built Kabul Star hotel.[24] The governor of Laghman Province, Lutfullah Mashal, said that men plotted to kill Karim Khalili, the second Vice President of Afghanistan.[3] Within hours, Afghan security forces and Norwegian special forces captured or killed almost all of the militants.[11]

The British SBS were crucial in fighting the terrorists.[25] Norwegian special forces from the Hærens Jegerkommando was crucial in fighting back the attack.[26]

Throughout the offensive on the embassies and government buildings in Kabul, members of the Afghan military, Afghan National Police, and National Directorate of Security repelled attacks from the Taliban, including suicide bombers.[27] During early Monday morning, NATO helicopters searched for militants hiding in buildings near the ISAF headquarters and multiple embassies.[28] The attack on Kabul lasted 18 hours.[29] At the end of the siege on Kabul, almost 40 militants and eight Afghan soldiers were killed.[5] In addition, four civilians were killed and 25 were injured across the country.[6] The Taliban militants reportedly wore suicide vests and carried both rocket-propelled and hand grenades.[30]

A lone suspected attacker captured by Afghan forces reportedly confessed Taliban assailants who waged the co-ordinated attacks across Afghanistan were part of a 200-member suicide squad trained in Pakistan.[31]

According to Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid, the attacks were "well-coordinated and planned for almost two months".[14]

Aftermath

General John R. Allen, the commander of the International Security Assistance Force, praised the Afghan military's ability to repel the Taliban attacks, saying "They [Afghan security forces] were on scene immediately, well-led and well-coordinated."[3] President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai applauded the actions by Afghan security forces. He told CNN that "the Afghan forces will be able to defend their country as they demonstrated yesterday".[32] However, Karzai said that the attacks were a result of an "intelligence failure for us [Afghanistan] and especially NATO" and called for an investigation.[29]

Bismillah Khan Mohammadi, the Interior Minister of Afghanistan, said the attackers belonged to the Haqqani Network, an insurgency group based in Afghanistan and Pakistan.[5] A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of Iran, Ramin Mehmanparast, denounced the attacks, saying ""The Islamic Republic of Iran condemns the recent terrorist attacks in the capital and certain other provinces of Afghanistan, particularly the attacks on diplomatic centers based in Kabul, and believes that dialogue is the only solution to Afghanistan's security problems."[33] The United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Hina Rabbani Khar condemned the attacks in Afghanistan in a joint statement.[34] The Pakistani Foreign Minister also called the Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Zalmai Rassoul to express her condolences.[35] Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard said that Australian forces in Afghanistan will be returning home in the upcoming months, with most troops coming home at the end of 2013.[30][36] On Tuesday, 17 April, Karzai said the Taliban attacks "prolong foreign presence in Afghanistan".[37]

References

  1. ↑ "Taliban assault on Afghan capital 'over'". Al Jazeera. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  2. ↑ "Taliban strike across Afghanistan in 'spring offensive'". BBC. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 Mitra Mobasherat; Mohammed Jamjoom (15 April 2012). "Coordinated Afghanistan assaults target presidential palace, embassies". CNN. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  4. ↑ "Taliban assault on Afghan capital 'over'". Al Jazeera. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 "Afghan Forces Quell Attack; Few Civilians Are Killed". The New York Times. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  6. 1 2 "Afghan leader Karzai blames attacks on Nato 'failure'". BBC. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  7. 1 2 Eltaf Najafizada; James Rupert (15 April 2012). "Afghanistan's Taliban Hit Four Cities in Biggest Spring Attack". Bloomberg. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  8. ↑ "Taliban attacks rocks Kabul; Afghan interior ministry holds Haqqani network responsible for attacks". South Asian News Agency. 15 April 2012. Archived from the original on 10 June 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  9. ↑ Pizzey, Allen (15 April 2012). "Taliban's spring offensive is a worrying sign". CBS. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  10. ↑ Hamid Shalizi; Jack Kimball (15 April 2012). "Taliban attack Afghanistan in "spring offensive"". Yahoo via Reuters. Archived from the original on 17 April 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  11. 1 2 "Afghan Forces Respond to Coordinated Attacks". United States Department of Defense. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  12. ↑ "Western embassies targeted in multiple Taliban attacks in Kabul". msnbc.com. 15 April 2012. Archived from the original on 16 July 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  13. ↑ Shah, Amir (15 April 2012). "Taliban attack Afghan capital, 3 other cities". Google News via AP. Archived from the original on 16 April 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  14. 1 2 "Taliban launch coordinated Afghan attacks". CBS News via AP. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  15. ↑ "Magellan Geographix". CNN. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  16. ↑ Yousafzai, Sami (22 December 2007). "Alone, Afraid, In the Company of Men Dreaming of Death". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  17. ↑ "Troops in Contact". Human Rights Watch. 8 September 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  18. ↑ "AFGHANISTAN: UNAMA raps new report by rights watchdog". IRIN Asia. 22 January 2009. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  19. ↑ Sieff, Kevin (4 February 2011). "Afghan civilian deaths hit record high in 2011, U.N. report says". Washington Post. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  20. ↑ "Numbers of troops, fighters in Afghanistan". Google News via AP. Associated Press. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  21. ↑ "Kabul's Green Zone Under Taliban Attack". PKKH. 15 April 2012. Archived from the original on 16 April 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  22. ↑ "ISAF Headquarters". NATO. Archived from the original on 9 December 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  23. ↑ Mojaddidi, Mushtaq (15 April 2012). "Taliban's 'spring offensive' rocks Afghanistan". Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  24. ↑ "Taliban 'spring offensive' rocks Afghanistan". al-Jazeera. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  25. ↑ "SBS Led Kabul Counter Attack". eliteukforces.info. 18 April 2012.
  26. ↑ "Støre: – Ingen norske såret". 15 April 2012.
  27. ↑ "Taliban 'spring offensive' rocks Afghanistan". al-Jazeera. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  28. ↑ Rob Taylor; Hamid Shalizi (16 April 2012). "Heavy fighting continues on Kabul streets". Reuters. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  29. 1 2 Emma Graham-Harrison (16 April 2012). "Taliban siege of Kabul blamed on Nato intelligence". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  30. 1 2 Popalzai, Masoud (17 April 2012). "Taliban: Afghanistan attackers were well-trained". CNN. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  31. ↑ Mujib, Mashal (19 April 2012). "Captured suspect reveals Kabul attack details". al Jazeera. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  32. ↑ CNN Wire Staff (16 April 2012). "Karzai: Response to attacks shows Afghan forces ready to defend nation". CNN. Retrieved 16 April 2012. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  33. ↑ "Iran condemns terrorist attacks in Afghanistan". Tehran Times. 17 April 2012. Archived from the original on 6 April 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  34. ↑ "US presses Pakistan over Afghan attacks". Daily Times. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  35. ↑ "Pakistan condemns Taliban attacks in Afghanistan". New York Daily News. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  36. ↑ CNN (17 April 2012). "Australia to withdraw troops from Afghanistan earlier than expected". CNN. Retrieved 18 April 2012. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  37. ↑ "Karzai: Taliban Attacks 'Prolong Foreign Presence'". Voice of America. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2012.

See also

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