Veterans Taliban conducted a series of overall coordinated attacks the embattled southern Afghan city of Kandahar Saturday - a campaign which President Afghan Hamid Karzai characterized as "revenge" for the death of Osama bin Laden. Insurgents attacked first the Palace of the provincial Governor with powered rocket grenades and weapons light and then launched a series of strikes throughout the city against the headquarters of the National Police Afghan (ANP) and the transport Police, on the Police substation and various other forces of Afghan national security (ANSF) and international security and Assistance Force (ISAF) building in both the city of Kandahar and in the Arghandab River Valley, the ISAF has reported. Between a dozen and two dozen people were injured in the fighting, reported Afghan media. All suicide bombers were killed.
"Al-Qaeda and its terrorist members who have suffered a major defeat with the assassination of Osama bin Laden on Pakistani territory have attempted to hide this defeat by killing civilians in Kandahar and take their revenge on the innocent people of the Afghanistan,"Karzai said in a release." The link between the attacks of Kandahar and the death of bin Laden has been strengthened by a view Declaration on many jihadist Web sites Saturday in which the Taliban said that "the Islamic Emirate [the Taliban for its own name] believes that the martyrdom of Sheikh Osama bin Laden will give new impetus to the current jihad against invaders" in this phase is critical of jihad. Tides of jihad will gain strength and width. The next time will be this time for friends and enemies. "The Declaration was signed by"branch"of al-Qaeda. But later, the Taliban spokesman insisted that the attacks had been in the works for months, reported press wire. (See the photos of the Lair of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan).
"Initial reports indicate that between three and six suicide bombers were arrested - or detonating prematurely or be killed before they could explode," said U.S. Marine Corps major-General James B. Laster, Chief Deputy to the Joint command ISAF joint operations, in a press release. ISAF reported that none of the attackers breached the walls of one of the compounds. The fighting started around 1 pm when the insurgents began to draw the Governor Toryalai Wesa compound. Waves of gunfire could still be heard throughout the city at 4 pm. Pajhwok News Agency has reported that 20 explosions struck the city in the course of the fighting, including two suicide bombs.
Spokesman for the Taliban Qari Yusuf Ahmadi said Tolo TV news that a number of Taliban fighters had taken to target four government buildings in the city of Kandahar and that they had inflicted victims on the Government, a statement later refused by the Government. In a video of Tolo a heavy plume of light gray smoke can be seen rising from the city as maggot General fresh helicopters and gunfire can be heard talking in the background. An Afghan National Army soldier can be seen patrolling the streets with an AK-47 at the ready, while the locals go about their business. Few cars or auto rickshaw is visible in the normally crowded streets. More recently, the city has been the theatre of a jailbreak orchestrated by the Taliban out of hundreds of inmates at the main prison of the city, including hundreds of fighters. A few days earlier, a suicide bomber dressed as a police officer killed Khan General Mohammed Mujahid, head of the Kandahar provincial police. (See the photos of the battle against the Taliban).
"This was clearly intended to be a spectacular offensive attack of spring," said major-general Laster, in the press release of the ISAF, battles of today. "." Indeed, the insurgent group was faithful to their word, as coordinated attacks come just a week after the announcement of Taliban, he was ready to begin in the spring of traditional fighting season in an effort to show the force after a winter of lossesobservers noted. However, after that of the United Nations Statistics were released earlier this year showing that the Taliban was responsible for 75% of the dead civilian in 2010, the group is clearly indicated in his statement that he would not harm civilians, apparently aware of indignation triggered by dozens of dead civilians caused by a series of attacks in February and March. Yet, the group warned that "all Afghans should keep in mind to stay away from gatherings, convoys and the centres of the enemy," in the Declaration. In the ongoing battle of big picture for the hearts and minds in Afghanistan major-general Laster added that, "the insurgents claimed they would protect civilians in their release in the spring offensive, however even today that they have injured more than civil".
The ad week last by the Taliban that it would intensify attacks in the coming months, coupled with the murder of Ben Laden sparked fears among the Afghans and foreigners as long as there is a significant increase in violence. Death of Osama bin Laden "is an opportunity for the Taliban to intensify their activities because there will be advertising the same." All US forces here and Iraq should be on high alert increased. "This has increased the likelihood of further attacks," Chris Barry, an civil by Major Crimes Taskforce investigating the army U.S. - a unit to investigate the murders of high representatives of the Afghan Government level - said in time on the day of the death of Osama bin Laden. (See pictures of people celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden).
In a further warning, Mashal Lotfullah, spokesman for the National Directorate of security, said at a press conference that "the death of Osama does not mean the end of terrorism, because al-Qaida is spreading like a spider NET on the Afghanistan and in other countries."
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