Afghan attack: babies killed as gunmen storm Kabul’s maternity ward

Two babies and 12 mothers and nurses were killed in a militant attack on a hospital in the Afghan capital Kabul on Tuesday morning.

Another 15 people, including several children, were injured in the attack by several armed men, authorities said.

Meanwhile, in the east, a funeral bombardment killed at least 24 people.

Following the attacks, President Ashraf Ghani said he was ordering the resumption of offensive operations against the Taliban and other groups.

He accused the militants of ignoring repeated calls to reduce violence.

The Islamic State (IS) group said it was behind the attack on the funeral of a police commander in Nangarhar, in the east of the country. It remains unclear who carried out the attack on the hospital, and the Taliban have denied any involvement.

A maternity ward in the hospital is run by the international medical charity Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and some of those who work there are foreigners.

United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the attack on the hospital “pure evil” and an “excessive assault.” In a statement, he called on the Afghan government and the Taliban to cooperate to “bring those responsible to justice.”

What happened in the hospital?

The attack started at approximately 10:00 (05:30 GMT), and locals reported hearing two explosions and then shooting. A doctor who fled during the assault told the BBC that about 140 people were in the hospital when the gunmen attacked.

Another doctor told the AFP news agency that “total panic” took hold as the assault unfolded.

Ramazan Ali, a vendor who saw the attack begin, told Reuters news agency: “The attackers were shooting at anyone in this hospital for no reason … It is a government hospital, and many people bring their women and children to receive treatment. ” “

Afghan special forces rescued 100 women and children, including three foreigners, an official told the BBC. The attackers, who had reportedly gained access disguised as police, were killed by security personnel after an hours-long battle.

Images from the scene showed soldiers carrying a newborn baby to safety, wrapped in a blood-stained blanket.

Many foreign employees live in a guest house behind Dasht-e-Barchi Hospital, and a doctor who fled the building told the BBC that he also saw an explosion there.

Similar attacks in this largely Shiite area of ​​the capital have been attributed to IS in the past. The group’s leader in South Asia and the Far East was arrested in Kabul on Tuesday, along with two other high-profile members, Afghan intelligence said.

In 2017, Islamic State gunmen disguised as medical personnel attacked Kabul’s main military hospital, causing widespread shock and anger and raising questions about security. Authorities later confirmed that about 50 people had been killed.

But the Taliban also attack hospitals. Last September, 20 people died after a truck full of explosives was detonated by militants from the group outside a hospital in the southern province of Zabul.

On television, Mr. Ghani said: “To provide security to public places and thwart attacks and threats from the Taliban and other terrorist groups, I am ordering Afghan security forces to switch from an active defense mode to an offensive one. and resume operations against enemies. “

Fragile hope shaking

Even in a country that has seen the worst of the worst, this savage attack on newborn babies and their mothers has shaken and shaken the fragile hope that this is the year that Afghanistan will finally begin to turn towards peace.

The images of special forces in bulky body armor, taking the babies to safety, will remain in the memory of those who have repeatedly called for a ceasefire, especially when the Afghans are fighting another deadly enemy in Covid-19.

Despite denials by the Taliban that this horrific attack was their job, President Ghani’s complaint reflects the anger and frustration of many. Some fear that groups like the Islamic State, seeking to create an even bigger gap between the Taliban and the government, have also killed for now what were slow and uncertain steps toward peace talks.

And for those who have never trusted the Taliban’s commitment, this latest attack solidifies their determination to keep fighting.

What happened at the funeral?

According to the survivors, thousands of people had gathered for the funeral of the local police commander, and the bomb detonated halfway. Ataullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the governor, said 68 people were injured.

A member of the provincial council was among the at least 24 dead.

Tuesday’s attacks were widely condemned by countries around the world and human rights groups, and Amnesty International said: “Unconscionable war crimes in Afghanistan today … must awaken the world to the horrors that civilians continue to face.”

On Twitter, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: “I am appalled at the terrible terrorist attacks in Afghanistan today, including in a maternity hospital. Attacking mothers, their newborns and medical staff is despicable “

Meanwhile, in the northern province of Balkh, at least 10 people were killed and many others wounded in an air strike by US forces, according to reports. Residents and Taliban claimed that the victims were all civilians, but the Afghan Defense Ministry said that all those killed were militants.

What is going on with the Afghan peace talks?

Since a troop withdrawal agreement signed in February between the United States and the Taliban, talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban have been broken by a prisoner swap and the violence has continued unabated.

The deal aimed to end more than 18 years of war since US-led forces ousted the Taliban from power after the September 11 attacks on the United States, whose brain, Osama Bin Laden, had received refuge. from the hardline Islamist group.

Tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, have died in the conflict. Many more have been injured or displaced from their homes.

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