The Taliban have claimed credit for today’s suicide assault on a construction company in Afghanistan’s eastern province Paktika.
A three-man suicide assault team attacked a compound owned by the Zahir road construction company in Paktika’s Bermel district this evening. The suicide team first killed a security guard at the main gate, then drove a truck packed with explosives into the company’s compound. In the massive blast, 20 road workers were killed and more than 50 were wounded.
In a statement released on the terror group’s website, Voice of Jihad, the Taliban claimed credit for the attack. The Taliban said that “as many as 27 NATO and their local puppets were killed” in the attack, which they said targeted a “joint enemy military base in New Ada area.” The Taliban often manufacture or exaggerate claims in its releases. ISAF and the Afghan military have not reported any casualties to their personnel.
The Taliban said the suicide bomber was named Ali Ahmad and was from the Bermel district, and that he detonated “a truck stuffed with some 4500 km [sic] explosives.”
The Taliban and the Haqqani Network, a Taliban subgroup that is strong in Paktika, have carried out three major assaults against US outposts in Bermel since 2008. In November 2008, US forces killed 16 enemy fighters as they assaulted Combat Outpost Margah.
In the fall of 2010, the Haqqani Network launched two major massed suicide assaults on COP Margah over the span of two months. On Sept. 2, US forces killed 20 Haqqani Network fighters. On Oct. 31, US forces killed 78 Haqqani Network and foreign fighters while repelling a massive attack. The Haqqani Network was backed by fighters from al Qaeda as well as the Taliban.
Al Qaeda and allied groups maintain a presence in Paktika province, according to an investigation by The Long War Journal. US military press releases document the presence of al Qaeda and “foreign fighter” cells in the districts of Wor Mamay, Yahya Khel, Yosuf Khel, Zadran, and Ziruk; or five of Paktika’s 18 districts. The US military uses the term “foreign fighters” to describe al Qaeda and allied terror groups from outside of Afghanistan.
5 Comments
The Taliban have a love/ hate thing for roads.
They use them, plenty — but don’t like their construction!
They do not have any success in attacking bases so they kill local construction workers and claim it is a base. Enough said.
The suicide bomber, Ali Ahmad, was a local. However it was doubtful he was the bomb builder, and given the number of suicide bombings in the area, it looks as if the Haqqani have at least one proficient bomb technician on their hands. This is one of the most valuable assets the anti-coalition forces can have. It’s not impossible that the bomb maker is a local as well, however it is also possible that he is an affiliate imbed of AQ. ISAF needs to place great priority in developing intel on finding this threat(s)
Sounds like someone from that area is convincing the local men that they should die for the cause. Those suicide base attacks are a ridiculous waste of human life. Someone is doing the convincing there. Check the local mosque.
WOW, Billy! Sounds like you need to come here and do intel!