Death toll rises from Taliban attacks on Afghan security

At least 16 people have been killed when Taliban militants bombed several Afghan security centres in the capital Kabul, in another day of bloody violence for the country.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab

01 March, 2017

Afghan security forces have been hit with more deadly Taliban attacks [Anadolu]

The death toll from a wave of Taliban bomb and gun attacks on Afghan security forces in the capital Kabul has jumped to 16 in another bloody day of violence for the country.

"Unfortunately, 16 people have been killed in the two attacks in Kabul," the ministry's Waheed Majroh said.

A further 44 people were injured in the attacks that struck the Afghan capital around noon on Wednesday, he added.

The twin bomb attacks shook the Afghan capital Kabul on Tuesday, as the Taliban launched a wave of attacks on hard-stretched security forces in the country.

A huge exposion was reported in west Kabul on Wednesday at around noon, when a car bomb was detonated outside a police station.

It was followed by the sound of gunfire as Taliban attackers launched simultanious raids on security installations. There are reports of clashes continuing between Afghan troops and the militants.

Two suicide bombers were reported to have attacked the police station after the first car bomb with a battle breaking out between the Taliban and officers, according to Al-Jazeera.

A second explosion targeted the Afghan intelligence agency in a different part of the city when a Taliban militant wearing a bomb vest attempted to enter the building.

"The bomber tried to enter an NDS (National Directorate of Security) office in the southeastern part of the city. The attacker died and two others were wounded," Najibullah Danish, interior minister spokesperson told AFP.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attacks, and follows another bloody day for Afghan security forces after an undercover militant killed 12 police officers on Tuesday.

Afghan security forces have lost control of several major cities and towns to the Taliban in the past few months.

Most of these areas have been recovered by the Afghan army, but not without international air support and sustaining heavy losses.

Meanwhile, one study has shown that the Afghan government controls just 60 percent of the country, according to Reuters.

Kabul is also facing mass desertions from its armed forces, while the Afghan population's faith in the central government in providing security is being seriously stretched.

Spring usually sees an increase in Taliban attacks in Kabul, as the winter snow in surrounding mountains melts away.