The Taliban mentioned a US airstrike on Sunday focused a suicide bomber in a automobile who needed to assault Kabul International Airport amid a US troop evacuation.
There have been few preliminary particulars concerning the incident, in addition to a rocket that struck the neighborhood to the northwest of the airport, killing a baby. The two assaults initially seemed to be separate incidents, though details about each remained scarce.
The assault comes because the United States airlifted a historic airlift that evacuated tens of 1000’s of individuals from Kabul’s worldwide airport, the scene of a lot chaos because the Taliban got here to energy two weeks in the past. .
After a suicide assault by an Islamic State ally that killed greater than 180 individuals, the Taliban elevated their safety across the airspace as Britain ended its evacuation flights on Saturday.
US army cargo planes continued their run on the airport on Sunday, forward of a Tuesday deadline set by President Joe Biden to withdraw all troops from America’s longest struggle. However, Afghans left behind within the nation fear concerning the Taliban reverting to their beforehand oppressive regime – one thing that was lately adopted by the taking pictures of a folks singer within the nation by insurgents.
Zabihullah Mujahid mentioned in a message to reporters that the attacker was focused as a result of he was driving a automobile laden with explosives. Mujahid gave some extra info.
US army officers couldn’t be instantly reached for remark.
Meanwhile, Kabul’s police chief Rashid mentioned the rocket assault befell in Kabul’s Khwaja Bughra neighborhood. Video obtained by the Associated Press after the assault confirmed smoke rising from the constructing a few kilometer (half a mile) from the airport.
No group instantly claimed the assault, though militants have fired rockets prior to now.
Meanwhile, the household of a folks singer north of Kabul say the Taliban killed him.
Fawad Andarabi was shot within the Andarabi Valley for which he was named, an space in Baglan province about 100 kilometers (60 mi) north of Kabul. The valley had seen turmoil because the Taliban takeover, with some districts within the area coming beneath the management of militia fighters opposing Taliban rule.
The Taliban say they’ve since recaptured these areas, though neighboring Panjshir within the Hindu Kush mountains is considered one of 34 provinces in Afghanistan not beneath its management.
The Taliban first got here to Andarabi’s home and searched him, even whereas having tea with the musician, his son Jawad Andarabi instructed the AP. But on Friday one thing modified.
“He was innocent, a singer who was only entertaining people,” mentioned his son. “They shot him in the head in the field.” His son mentioned he needed justice and a neighborhood Taliban council has promised to punish his father’s killer.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid instructed the AP that the insurgents would examine the incident, however had no additional details about the killing.
Andarabi performed a bowed lutea ghichak and sang conventional songs about his birthplace, his individuals, and the entire of Afghanistan. An on-line video confirmed him at a efficiency as he sat on a rug alongside the mountains of the home, singing.
He sang, “There is no country in the world like my motherland, a proud nation.” “Our beautiful valley, the homeland of our great-grandfathers.”
UN Special Envoy on Cultural Rights Karima Bennoune wrote on Twitter that she was “deeply concerned” over the killing of Andarabi. “We urge governments to respect the human rights of #artists by the Taliban,” he wrote.
Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard equally condemned the killing.
“There is mounting evidence that the Taliban of 2021 is the same as the intolerant, violent, repressive Taliban of 2001,” she wrote on Twitter. “20 years later. Nothing has changed on that front.”
Meanwhile, personal banks throughout Afghanistan resumed their operations on Sunday. However, they didn’t restrict withdrawals to greater than the equal of $200 per day.
With some nonetheless complaining of being unable to entry their cash, authorities workers say they haven’t been paid within the final 4 months. The Afghani continued its depreciation to commerce round US$90.5 to US$1 because the nation’s reserves maintain billions of {dollars} frozen abroad.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
