AFGHANISTAN-BLAST/MEMORIAL Hundreds gather in Kabul to remember victims of attacks

Record ID: 144713

  • Title: AFGHANISTAN-BLAST/MEMORIAL Hundreds gather in Kabul to remember victims of attacks
  • Date: 8th August 2015
  • Summary: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (AUGUST 8, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DESTROYED MARKET IN CAPITAL KABUL WHERE TRUCK BOMB EXPLODED ON FRIDAY MORNING PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE DESTROYED MARKET TO REMEMBER VICTIMS OF TRUCK BOMB ATTACK POSTERS OF PAKISTAN CLERIC WITH SLOGANS READING (In English): "PAKISTAN IF YOU WANT TO SURVIVE STOP WAR IN AFGHANISTAN" VARIOUS OF ANTI-PAKISTANI POSTERS AND
  • Embargoed: 23rd August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Afghanistan
  • Country: Afghanistan
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA75ZA4IVFZV9Q121WD4L80UCEU
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Hundreds of civil society activists and residents of Kabul gathered on Saturday (August 8) evening near the site of a truck bomb attack which killed at least 15 people and wounded over 200 others on Friday (August 7).
    A wave of attacks on the Afghan army and police and U.S. special forces in Kabul killed at least 50 people and wounded hundreds, dimming hopes that the Taliban might be weakened by a leadership struggle after their longtime leader Mullah Omar's death, which was announced last week.
    The bloodshed began on Friday with a truck bomb that exploded in a heavily populated district of the capital and ended with an hours-long battle at a base used by U.S. special forces. It became the deadliest day in Kabul for years.
    Activists lit candles and said prayers for the dead. Some blamed Pakistan for destabilising Afghanistan.
    "It is clear that Pakistan is behind this attack, Pakistan is the supporter and the sponsor of the terrorist groups in Afghanistan and other parts of the world, Pakistan is the exporter of the terrorists, this is clear to everyone, there is no doubt," said civil society activist Mohammad Zahir.
    The conflict between the Western-backed government and the Taliban has intensified since the NATO combat mission ended last year, but Afghan security forces and civilians have borne the brunt of the violence.
    There have been almost 5,000 civilian casualties in Afghanistan in the first half of the year, U.N. figures show.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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