Kandahar attack: Traders suffer 300m afs losses

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): Businessmen in southern Kandahar province say they have suffered about 300 million afghanis to the attack on the police headquarters.

On Thursday, militants stormed the police building and detonated two car bombs, followed by several hours of fighting.

The powerful blasts were heard miles away and broke glasses in residential areas. All roads leading to the scene were closed and no one allowed to enter the area.

Deputy Governor Abdul Hanan Munib, police chief Maj. Gen. Tadin Khan, while visiting the affected area told reporters civilians had suffered most of the losses.

Nine civilians and three policemen were killed and 97 others wounded, including seven policemen. Women and children were also among the injured,

A custom office near the police headquarters and 16 trucks laden with food items and other products were torched, causing a loss of 300 million afghanis to traders.

Tadin Khan denounced the attack and said the rebels had used powerful explosives in the assault. He claimed the militants, who suffered heavy casualties in Maroof and Arghistan districts, had taken revenge on the common people.

Khan added some documents showed the attack was planned in the Chaman area of Balochistan across the Durand Line.

In a statement, NDS.

“Such acts may hamper efforts for peace and stability and expose the terrorists playing into the hands of external elements.

“The Taliban are fighting for promoting others; interest and are receiving orders and direction from outside,” the spy service alleged in a statement.

But Taliban rejected the statement and said they planned and executed all operations inside the country.

Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi called the government statement an attempt to mislead the masses.

Mohammad Naeem, a resident of Aino Mena, told Pajhwok Afghan News Taliban representatives, during an intra-Afghan meeting in Qatar a few days back, had promised not to attack residential areas.

But they conducted the deadly attack in residential areas and inflicted huge casualties on civilians. The attack was widely condemned.

Sa