KANDAHAR CITY (SW): The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has confirmed the loss of its five diplomats in a terrorist attack inside the Governor’s guest house in Kandahar a day earlier.
Local authorities have confirmed the death of 12 people in this attack, including deputy governor of Kandahar Abdul Ali Shamsi and Yama Quraishi, an Afghan diplomat to Washington. Juma Mohammed Abdullah Al Kaabi, UAE Ambassador to Afghanistan and Humayoun Azizi, the governor of Kandahar are among those wounded in the attack.
"The UAE Ambassador’s visit to Kandahar was on humanitarian mission within the program of the UAE to support the brotherly Afghan people, lay the foundation stone for Dar Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as well as sign an agreement with Kardan University to offer scholarships at the expense of the UAE," the Foreign Ministry in Abu Dhabi said in a statement.
Samim Khapalwak, spokesman for the provincial governor has said that the governor Humayoun Azizi is in critical situation. He said investigations into the attack are underway.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The Taliban, who claimed responsibility for at least two deadly attacks in the country on Tuesday, denied having any involvement in this attack.
President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has strongly condemned the attack. A committee under the leadership of the National Security Advisor Mohammad Hanif Atmar has been tasked to probe it. He has reached the city.
Gen. Abdul Razique, the police chief in Kandahar, has blamed Pakistan’s spy agency ISI, and the Haqqani Network for the attack.
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