April 2012 Afghanistan attacks

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April 2012 Afghanistan attacks
Part of War in Afghanistan
US Embassy in Kabul on July 4th 2010.jpg
US Embassy in Kabul
Location Kabul, Nangarhar, Paktia and Logar provinces
Coordinates 33°N65°E / 33°N 65°E / 33; 65
Date13:00 on 15 April 2012 (2012-04-15)-
07:00 on 16 April 2012 (2012-04-16) AST [1] [2] (UTC+04:30)
TargetFive Embassies, ISAF bases, Parliament, government buildings, airport, [3] hotel.
DeathsAt least 47 killed (39 insurgents, 8 security forces, 4 civilians) [4] [5] [6]
InjuredAt least 44 injured (39 security forces, 5 civilians)
Perpetrators Afghan Taliban [7]
Haqqani Network (suspected) [8]

The April 2012 Afghanistan attacks [9] [10] [11] took place on Sunday, 15 April 2012, at around 13:00 local time (08:30 UTC) when heavily armed Taliban insurgents and suicide bombers launched multiple coordinated attacks throughout Afghanistan. [7] Insurgents launched the 2012 spring offensive on multiple locations, including government buildings, military bases, and embassies. [12] Attacks occurred in four Afghan provinces, including Kabul and Paktia. [13] Different reports attribute responsibility for the attacks to either Taliban or the Haqqani network although the Taliban have claimed responsibility. [14]

Contents

Background

Between 1996 and 2001, the Taliban controlled large portions of Afghanistan following their emergence as a power bloc in 1992. [15] The majority of Taliban political control centered on Kandahar, although the executive government remained based in the capital, Kabul. During the early parts of the war in Afghanistan, the International Security Assistance Force established a presence in Afghanistan, predominantly around Kabul.

Following a period of stabilization in Afghanistan, attacks started to increase with a growth in suicide bombings since 2006. [16] In 2007, the number of Afghan civilian deaths stood at more than 230. [17] In 2008, there were about 1,000 civilian deaths attributed to the Taliban. [18] In 2011, the number of civilians killed rose 8% from 2010, with over 3,000 civilian deaths. The vast majority of the casualties were due to activities by insurgents. [19] According to the Associated Press, there are around 25,000 Taliban soldiers in Afghanistan in 2012. [20]

Insurgent activities follow an annual pattern with members of the various insurgent groups migrating out of Afghanistan in the winter months. The Spring Offensive is the yearly increase in offensive activity, related to the improving weather, which increases the insurgent groups' ability to maneuver around the country.

Attacks

In the capital of Kabul, many foreign embassies are located in the so-called "Green Zone" of the capital. [21] Since NATO took control of the ISAF in 2003, their headquarters is also in the Green Zone. [22]

Major General Carsten Jacobson, the spokesperson for the International Security Assistance Force, said that militants attacked the United States, German, and British embassies in Kabul. [23] The Iranian embassy was also attacked, as was the newly built Kabul Star hotel. [24] The governor of Laghman Province, Lutfullah Mashal, said that men plotted to kill Karim Khalili, the second Vice President of Afghanistan. [3] Within hours, Afghan security forces and Norwegian special forces captured or killed almost all of the militants. [11]

The British SBS were crucial in fighting the terrorists. [25] Norwegian special forces from the Hærens Jegerkommando was crucial in fighting back the attack. [26]

Throughout the offensive on the embassies and government buildings in Kabul, members of the Afghan military, Afghan National Police, and National Directorate of Security repelled attacks from the Taliban, including suicide bombers. [27] During early Monday morning, NATO helicopters searched for militants hiding in buildings near the ISAF headquarters and multiple embassies. [28] The attack on Kabul lasted 18 hours. [29] At the end of the siege on Kabul, almost 40 militants and eight Afghan soldiers were killed. [5] In addition, four civilians were killed and 25 were injured across the country. [6] The Taliban militants reportedly wore suicide vests and carried both rocket-propelled and hand grenades. [30]

A lone suspected attacker captured by Afghan forces reportedly confessed Taliban assailants who waged the co-ordinated attacks across Afghanistan were part of a 200-member suicide squad trained in Pakistan. [31]

According to Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid, the attacks were "well-coordinated and planned for almost two months". [14]

Aftermath

General John R. Allen, the commander of the International Security Assistance Force, praised the Afghan military's ability to repel the Taliban attacks, saying "They [Afghan security forces] were on scene immediately, well-led and well-coordinated." [3] President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai applauded the actions by Afghan security forces. He told CNN that "the Afghan forces will be able to defend their country as they demonstrated yesterday". [32] However, Karzai said that the attacks were a result of an "intelligence failure for us [Afghanistan] and especially NATO" and called for an investigation. [29]

Bismillah Khan Mohammadi, the Interior Minister of Afghanistan, said the attackers belonged to the Haqqani Network, an insurgency group based in Afghanistan and Pakistan. [5] A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of Iran, Ramin Mehmanparast, denounced the attacks, saying ""The Islamic Republic of Iran condemns the recent terrorist attacks in the capital and certain other provinces of Afghanistan, particularly the attacks on diplomatic centers based in Kabul, and believes that dialogue is the only solution to Afghanistan's security problems." [33] The United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Hina Rabbani Khar condemned the attacks in Afghanistan in a joint statement. [34] The Pakistani Foreign Minister also called the Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Zalmai Rassoul to express her condolences. [35] Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard said that Australian forces in Afghanistan will be returning home in the upcoming months, with most troops coming home at the end of 2013. [30] [36] On Tuesday, 17 April, Karzai said the Taliban attacks "prolong foreign presence in Afghanistan". [37]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taliban insurgency</span> Insurgency during the War in Afghanistan

The Taliban insurgency began after the group's fall from power during the 2001 War in Afghanistan. The Taliban forces fought against the Afghan government, led by President Hamid Karzai, and later by President Ashraf Ghani, and against a US-led coalition of forces that has included all members of NATO; the 2021 Taliban offensive resulted in the collapse of the government of Ashraf Ghani. The private sector in Pakistan extends financial aid to the Taliban, contributing to their financial sustenance.

During the War in Afghanistan, according to the Costs of War Project the war killed 176,000 people in Afghanistan: 46,319 civilians, 69,095 military and police and at least 52,893 opposition fighters. However, the death toll is possibly higher due to unaccounted deaths by "disease, loss of access to food, water, infrastructure, and/or other indirect consequences of the war." According to the Uppsala Conflict Data Program, the conflict killed 212,191 people. The Cost of War project estimated in 2015 that the number who have died through indirect causes related to the war may be as high as 360,000 additional people based on a ratio of indirect to direct deaths in contemporary conflicts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)</span>

The following items form a partial timeline of the War in Afghanistan. For events prior to October 7, 2001, see 2001 in Afghanistan.

Events from the year 2007 in Afghanistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 bombing of Indian embassy in Kabul</span> Suicide bomb terrorist attack

The 2008 Indian embassy bombing in Kabul was a suicide bomb terror attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan on 7 July 2008 at 8:30 AM local time. The bombing killed 58 people and wounded 141. The suicide car bombing took place near the gates of the embassy during morning hours when officials enter the embassy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)</span> Conflict between NATO Western forces and the Taliban

The War in Afghanistan was an armed conflict from 2001 to 2021. It was the direct response to the September 11 attacks. It began when an international military coalition led by the United States launched an invasion of Afghanistan, declaring Operation Enduring Freedom as part of the earlier-declared war on terror; toppling the Taliban-ruled Islamic Emirate and establishing the Islamic Republic three years later. The Taliban and its allies were expelled from major population centers by the US-led forces, supporting the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance; however Bin Laden relocated to neighboring Pakistan. The conflict officially ended with the 2021 Taliban offensive, which overthrew the Islamic Republic, and re-established the Islamic Emirate. It was the longest war in the military history of the United States, surpassing the length of the Vietnam War (1955–1975) by approximately 6 months.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haqqani network</span> Afghan Islamist guerrilla insurgent group

The Haqqani Network is an Afghan Islamist group, built around the family of the same name, that has used asymmetric warfare in Afghanistan to fight against Soviet forces in the 1980s, and US-led NATO forces and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan government in the 21st century. It is recognized as a terrorist organization by the United Nations. It is considered to be a "semi-autonomous" offshoot of the Taliban. It has been most active in eastern Afghanistan and across the border in north-west Pakistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amrullah Saleh</span> First Vice President of Afghanistan from 2020 to 2021

Amrullah Saleh is an Afghan politician who served as the first vice president of Afghanistan from February 2020 to August 2021, and acting interior minister from 2018 to 2019. He was the head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) from 2004 to 2010.

Events from the year 2010 in Afghanistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Embassy of the United States, Kabul</span> Former U.S. diplomatic mission to Afghanistan

The Embassy of the United States of America in Kabul was the official diplomatic mission of the United States of America to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The embassy was housed in a chancery located on Great Massoud Road in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood of the Afghan capital, Kabul, and was built at a cost of nearly $800 million. On August 15, 2021, in the face of a Taliban advance on Kabul, embassy staff relocated to makeshift but secure facilities at Hamid Karzai International Airport. Kabul fell and the chancery building officially closed late August 15th.

Events from the year 2011 in Afghanistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 in Afghanistan</span> List of events

Events from the year 2012 in Afghanistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inter-Services Intelligence activities in Afghanistan</span>

The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) intelligence agency of Pakistan has been accused of being heavily involved in covertly running military intelligence programs in Afghanistan since before the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. The first ISI operation in Afghanistan took place in 1975. It was in "retaliation to Republic of Afghanistan's proxy war and support to the militants against Pakistan". Before 1975, ISI did not conduct any operation in Afghanistan and it was only after decade of Republic of Afghanistan's proxy war against Pakistan, support to militants and armed incursion in 1960 and 1961 in Bajaur that Pakistan was forced to retaliate. Later on, in the 1980s, the ISI in Operation Cyclone systematically coordinated the distribution of arms and financial means provided by the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to factions of the Afghan mujahideen such as the Hezb-e Islami (HeI) of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and the forces of Ahmad Shah Massoud whose forces would later be known as the Northern Alliance. After the Soviet retreat, the different Mujahideen factions turned on each other and were unable to come to a power sharing deal which resulted in a civil war. The United States, along with the ISI and the Pakistani government of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto became the primary source of support for Hekmatyar in his 1992–1994 bombardment campaign against the Islamic State of Afghanistan and the capital Kabul.

The following lists events that happened in 2013 in Afghanistan.

The following lists events that happened during 2015 in Afghanistan.

The following lists events that happened during 2016 in Afghanistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Inter-Continental Hotel Kabul attack</span> Suicide attack at the Inter-Continental Hotel

On 28 June 2011, a group of nine gunmen and suicide bombers attacked the Inter-Continental Hotel, Kabul. The attack and an ensuing five-hour siege left at least 21 people dead, including all nine attackers. Responsibility was claimed by the Taliban.

Events in the year 2017 in Afghanistan.

This article summarizes the history of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islamic Republic of Afghanistan</span> 2004–2021 government of Afghanistan

The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was a presidential republic that ruled Afghanistan from 2004 to 2021. The state was established to replace the Afghan interim (2001–2002) and transitional (2002–2004) administrations, which were formed after the 2001 United States invasion of Afghanistan that had toppled the partially recognized Taliban-ruled Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. However, on 15 August 2021, the country was recaptured by the Taliban, which marked the end of the 2001–2021 war, the longest war in US history. This led to the overthrow of the Islamic Republic, led by President Ashraf Ghani, and the reinstatement of the Islamic Emirate under the control of the Taliban. While the United Nations still recognizes the Islamic Republic as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, this toppled regime controls no portion of the country today, nor does it operate in exile; it effectively no longer exists. The Islamic Emirate is the de facto ruling government. The US–Taliban deal, signed on 29 February 2020 in Qatar, was one of the critical events that caused the collapse of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). Following the deal, the US dramatically reduced the number of air attacks and deprived the ANSF of a critical edge in fighting the Taliban insurgency, leading to the Taliban takeover of Kabul.

References

  1. ↑ "Taliban assault on Afghan capital 'over'". Al Jazeera. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  2. ↑ "Taliban strike across Afghanistan in 'spring offensive'". BBC. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 Mitra Mobasherat; Mohammed Jamjoom (15 April 2012). "Coordinated Afghanistan assaults target presidential palace, embassies". CNN. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  4. ↑ "Taliban assault on Afghan capital 'over'". Al Jazeera. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 "Afghan Forces Quell Attack; Few Civilians Are Killed". The New York Times. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  6. 1 2 "Afghan leader Karzai blames attacks on Nato 'failure'". BBC. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  7. 1 2 Eltaf Najafizada; James Rupert (15 April 2012). "Afghanistan's Taliban Hit Four Cities in Biggest Spring Attack". Bloomberg. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  8. ↑ "Taliban attacks rocks Kabul; Afghan interior ministry holds Haqqani network responsible for attacks". South Asian News Agency. 15 April 2012. Archived from the original on 10 June 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  9. ↑ Pizzey, Allen (15 April 2012). "Taliban's spring offensive is a worrying sign". CBS. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  10. ↑ Hamid Shalizi; Jack Kimball (15 April 2012). "Taliban attack Afghanistan in "spring offensive"". Yahoo via Reuters. Archived from the original on 17 April 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  11. 1 2 "Afghan Forces Respond to Coordinated Attacks". United States Department of Defense. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  12. ↑ "Western embassies targeted in multiple Taliban attacks in Kabul". msnbc.com. 15 April 2012. Archived from the original on 16 July 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  13. ↑ Shah, Amir (15 April 2012). "Taliban attack Afghan capital, 3 other cities". Google News via AP. Archived from the original on 16 April 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  14. 1 2 "Taliban launch coordinated Afghan attacks". CBS News via AP. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  15. ↑ "Magellan Geographix". CNN. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  16. ↑ Yousafzai, Sami (22 December 2007). "Alone, Afraid, In the Company of Men Dreaming of Death". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  17. ↑ "Troops in Contact". Human Rights Watch. 8 September 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  18. ↑ "AFGHANISTAN: UNAMA raps new report by rights watchdog". IRIN Asia. 22 January 2009. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  19. ↑ Sieff, Kevin (4 February 2011). "Afghan civilian deaths hit record high in 2011, U.N. report says". Washington Post. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  20. ↑ "Numbers of troops, fighters in Afghanistan". Google News via AP. Associated Press. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2012.[ dead link ]
  21. ↑ "Kabul's Green Zone Under Taliban Attack". PKKH. 15 April 2012. Archived from the original on 16 April 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  22. ↑ "ISAF Headquarters". NATO. Archived from the original on 9 December 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  23. ↑ Mojaddidi, Mushtaq (15 April 2012). "Taliban's 'spring offensive' rocks Afghanistan". Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  24. ↑ "Taliban 'spring offensive' rocks Afghanistan". al-Jazeera. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  25. ↑ "SBS Led Kabul Counter Attack". eliteukforces.info. 18 April 2012.
  26. ↑ "Støre: – Ingen norske såret". 15 April 2012.
  27. ↑ "Taliban 'spring offensive' rocks Afghanistan". al-Jazeera. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  28. ↑ Rob Taylor; Hamid Shalizi (16 April 2012). "Heavy fighting continues on Kabul streets". Reuters. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  29. 1 2 Emma Graham-Harrison (16 April 2012). "Taliban siege of Kabul blamed on Nato intelligence". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  30. 1 2 Popalzai, Masoud (17 April 2012). "Taliban: Afghanistan attackers were well-trained". CNN. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  31. ↑ Mujib, Mashal (19 April 2012). "Captured suspect reveals Kabul attack details". al Jazeera. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  32. ↑ CNN Wire Staff (16 April 2012). "Karzai: Response to attacks shows Afghan forces ready to defend nation". CNN. Retrieved 16 April 2012.{{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  33. ↑ "Iran condemns terrorist attacks in Afghanistan". Tehran Times. 17 April 2012. Archived from the original on 6 April 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  34. ↑ "US presses Pakistan over Afghan attacks". Daily Times. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  35. ↑ "Pakistan condemns Taliban attacks in Afghanistan". New York Daily News. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.[ permanent dead link ]
  36. ↑ CNN (17 April 2012). "Australia to withdraw troops from Afghanistan earlier than expected". CNN. Retrieved 18 April 2012.{{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  37. ↑ "Karzai: Taliban Attacks 'Prolong Foreign Presence'". Voice of America. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2012.

See also

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