There was a heavy handed assault on the U.S. Embassy and NATO forces headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan. The fight cost sixteen Afghans their lives, these were civilians and security personnel, eleven of the assailants also perished in this devastating confrontation. The Haqqani network is suspected to be the group responsible for this attack. This group is an offshoot of the Taliban. It is unknown how exactly they managed to infiltrate the secured area. Some of the attackers were reported to be wearing burkas which are the long veils often donned by Afghan women and are great devices of disguise. There is also suspicion that the assailants were aided by someone within the security force. The weapons used were bomb vests, worn by suicide bombers, and RPGs (rocket propelled grenades). The assault continued for twenty hours, bringing into question the capability of the Afghan security.
This attack was meant to place a sense of uncertainty upon the dependability of the Afghan security forces. Citizens of Kabul, like Ghulam Mushtaba, are living in a state of fear. When the attack happened this young business man abandoned his car in a traffic jam and ran to a nearby building for cover. This civilian lack of faith does not bode well for the effort of transferring all security into the hands of the Afghan forces. This event could also trigger other similar acts, other terrorist groups may be encouraged and emboldened to wage their own attacks. Hopefully with further training and a now heightened awareness of real dangers, the security forces will be improved.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-afghan-attack-aftermath-20110915,0,4596711.story
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