Car bomb in the heart of the capital of Afghanistan
The Taliban warned Monday of more deadly attacks in the run-up to Afghanistan's first presidential election after a car bomb in the heart of the capital killed at least 12 people and injured dozens more. Three Americans and three Nepalis were among those killed in the blast, aimed at the offices of international security company DynCorp, which provides bodyguards for Afghan president Hamid Karzai and helps train the national police force. Sunday's attack came less than 24 hours after another blast killed 10 people, including nine children, at a religious school in Paktia province, south of Kabul. A senior Taliban commander said any city with a Western presence could be a target ahead of the Oct. 9 elections, which U.S. ally Karzai is widely expected to win. "We have started our operations from Kabul under new planning and preparation," said commander Mullah Daudullah, one of the 10 members of the Taliban council headed by Mullah Omar, an ally of Osama bin Laden. "We will carry out more attacks and bombings in Kabul and many of our mujahideen are present in cities where the occupying forces of infidels are present," he told Reuters by satellite telephone. The Kabul blast raised concern over already deteriorating security. Nearly 1,000 people have been killed in the past year -- including militants, soldiers, civilians, aid workers and election officials, informs Reuter. According to ABCNEWS, the U.S. government warned its citizens to keep a low profile Monday after a car bomb hit a private American security firm, killing up to 11 people in the deadliest attack in the Afghan capital in two years. Three Americans died in Sunday's attack, according to Kabul's NATO-led security force, up from the two fatalities initially reported by the Afghan government. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the blast at the office of Dyncorp Inc., which provides bodyguards for Afghan President Hamid Karzai and works for the American government in Iraq. Security officials have issued several warnings in recent weeks that anti-government militants could ramp up attacks to disrupt its landmark presidential election. The bombing came hours after another explosion killed at least nine people, eight of them children, at a school in southeastern Afghanistan, underlining the country's fragile security as it moves toward the Oct. 9 vote. On Monday, the U.S. Embassy e-mailed Americans in Kabul to tell them to limit their movements, take strict security measures and avoid "potential target areas" such as government offices, NATO bases and restaurants. U.N. staff were also ordered to keep off the streets as much as possible. Guardian publishes that The Taliban vowed to intensify their attacks on American and coalition forces in Afghanistan, a day after a car bomb ripped through the offices of a US security company in Kabul, killing 10 people. The atrocity sparked a chain of security alerts in the capital, where the Taliban promised fresh violence in the run-up to a landmark presidential election scheduled for October 9. The US embassy emailed its citizens warning them to keep a low profile, the UN advised its staff to stay off the streets, and aid workers were ordered to avoid establishments selling alcohol. Lieutenant Commander Ken Mackillop, a spokesman for the Nato-led force in the country, confirmed that three Americans were among the victims of Sunday's attack. However, there was confusion about the nationalities of the other victims, three of whom were reported to be Nepalese. The remotely-triggered car bomb blew up the city offices of Dyncorp, which provides bodyguards for the interim president, Hamid Karzai, and had been training the Afghan police force. It was the worst atrocity in Kabul since 30 people died and 150 were injured in a September 2002 car bomb attack. Claiming responsibility yesterday, two Taliban spokesmen warned of further attacks.
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