Ghani denounces Daesh attack on Iraqi Embassy

KABUL (Pajhwok): President Ashraf Ghani on Monday condemned a Daesh-claimed group attack on the Iraqi Embassy in capital Kabul, saying the attack was against accepted international principles and norms.

The president was quoted in a statement from the Presidential Palace as saying: “Terrorists instigated and directed by foreigners carry out terrorist activities to damage Afghanistan’s friendly ties with other countries, but they will never reach their malicious goals.”

Ensuring security of diplomatic areas topped his government’s priorities and many steps would be taken for security of such areas, the president said. he thanked the defense and security forces for controlling the attack on time.

The coordinated attack on the Iraqi Embassy began at about 11am and came to an end after all the assailants were shot dead during a four-hour standoff with security forces, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) had earlier said.

The MoI said a group of four ‘suicide terrorists’ stormed the Iraqi Embassy in Ansari Square in the 4th police district of the heavily-fortified capital in the morning.

Two Afghan guards of the Iraqi diplomatic mission were also killed during the attack claimed by the so-called Islamic State or Daesh group.

sns/ma