KANDAHAR CITY (SW): Mohammad Hanif Atmar, the National Security Advisor has said the Taliban militants have used sophisticated explosives in attack in Kandahar that were never used in the country before.
At least 11 people including top government officials and five diplomats from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) died in this attack. Atmar, who has been tasked to lead investigations into it, told journalists in Kandahar that the Taliban are involved in this attack. He said President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has issued stern and clear directions for candid investigations.
Atmar lamented that the nature of the attack showed it was pre-planed, but the security and intelligence agencies failed to stop it. He also mentioned the growing number of attacks in Helmand, Zabul and Kandahar province, and called for the need to thwart them in time. About the deadly attack in Kandahar, the National Security Advisor said more time is needed to thoroughly probe it.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The Taliban, who claimed responsibility for at least two other deadly attacks in the country on Tuesday, denied having any involvement in this attack. 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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