On 24 August 2016, attackers who are suspected members of the Taliban stormed the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul, Afghanistan, using a car bomb and automatic weapons. Thirteen people were killed, including seven university students, one policeman, three security guards at the university, a university professor (Naqib Ahmad Khpulwak) & Faculty of Computer Science (Omer Farooq Hazarbuz) was badly injured.[1] Fifty to at least 53 people were injured, some critically. Three of the attackers were killed by Afghan Special Forces. This was the first direct attack on the university, although two professors were kidnapped just outside the university a few weeks earlier.[2]
Afghanistan had been experiencing a significant amount of terror attacks during the War in Afghanistan, including the large July 2016 Kabul bombing. In the past, incidents related to employees at the American University of Afghanistan include a terror attack on a restaurant in which around 21 people were killed, including two AUAF employees,[3] and a kidnapping of two foreign professors by men dressed in Afghan National Police uniforms on August 7.[4][5][6] American special forces later failed in an operation to try and rescue them.[7]
The American University of Afghanistan was chartered in 2004 and established in 2006. It is an "Independent, self-governing, not-for-profit university operating on the US liberal arts model". Founded by Dr. Sharif Fayez, it is Afghanistan's "top institution for higher education", with many foreign employees, and is supported in part by prominent U.S. politicians.[8]
Attack
The attack began at 19:03 during the evening classes at the university, when around 700 students were in attendance. The university was surrounded by a fortified wall. A truck filled with explosives was driven up to the wall and blown up, leaving a large hole in the wall. Two assailants then entered the compound, prompting employees and students to panic while fleeing and hiding. A nearly ten-hour-long siege then ensued, which lasted overnight. Hundreds of trapped students "pleaded for help" as an explosion followed gunshots, some sending messages on Twitter. Students used furniture in the classroom to barricade doors, with others making a "mad scramble to escape through windows" while pushing each other out, some from dangerous heights.
During the chaos, seven university students, one policeman, three security guards at the university, and one university professor were killed. A guard from a neighboring vocational school for visually impaired people was also killed. Most people were killed from bullets that traveled through windows. At least 50 to at least 53 people were also injured.[12]
Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued a statement regarding the Kabul attack, describing it as a tragic assault on a symbol of hope and progress, underscoring the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan. [13]
No organization has acknowledged responsibility for the assault, which occurred as the Taliban intensified their summer campaign against the Kabul administration. [14]
Friends of the victims of Afghanistan's American University attack expressed heartbreak on Facebook.[15]
An attack, led by a group of three insurgents, against the American University in Kabul ended Thursday, killing seven students along with the attackers, three guards, and three police officers and wounding almost 50 people, the police told EFE.[16]
The United States Institute of Peace mourns our friend and colleague Naqib Khpulwak, who was killed in the attack on the American University of Afghanistan on the night of Aug. 24-25. His death is a terrible loss. In addition to teaching at the university, Naqib was a cornerstone of USIP’s rule of law initiatives in Afghanistan. Since coming to USIP in July 2015, he brought unparalleled insight to our programming, and a true strategic vision for what we could, and should, accomplish in our mission as peacebuilders.[17]
The United States Institute of Peace is deeply saddened by the loss of our esteemed colleague, Naqib Khpulwak, who tragically lost his life in the recent attack on the American University of Afghanistan. Naqib was not only a dedicated teacher at the university but also played a pivotal role in our rule of law initiatives in Afghanistan. His insights and strategic vision greatly enriched our efforts as peacebuilders since he joined USIP in 2015.[18]
Naqib, a proud graduate of a university in Afghanistan, furthered his education with a Fulbright scholarship at Old Dominion University and as a visiting scholar at Stanford University Law School. He was highly regarded in the Afghan legal community and deeply committed to his students. Naqib's thirst for knowledge was evident as he was preparing for further studies at Oxford University.[19]
At USIP, Naqib was instrumental in managing the rule of law projects in Afghanistan, focusing on strengthening civil society organizations' capacity to engage with community courts and advocate on constitutional matters. His dedication to promoting peace in Afghanistan was unwavering, as he tirelessly worked to rebuild his war-torn country and address the scars left by the conflict.[20]
Beyond his professional endeavors, Naqib was a beloved son, brother, and friend, who enjoyed reading, following cricket, and spending time with his family. His tragic loss, along with others in the same attack, is a stark reminder of the challenges faced in conflict zones. Our thoughts are with Naqib's family, friends, and all affected by this senseless violence. We are committed to supporting Naqib's family and our colleagues in Afghanistan while honoring his legacy and sacrifice. Naqib's passing serves as a testament to the courage of our staff and partners working tirelessly to resolve conflicts peacefully in some of the world's most volatile regions.[21]
Laura Bush, a major supporter of the university, denounced the attack along with the U.S. State Department and offered her condolences. She also issued a statement.[23]
The American University of Afghanistan temporarily closed indefinitely "in the wake of the despicable terrorist attack on the university". University President Mark English was interviewed on the American National Public Radio. The university also issued a statement:
“American University of Afghanistan is dedicated to its educational mission in service to Afghanistan and has no intention of giving in to terror. As our faculty member Naqib Ahmad Khpulwak, who was killed in this attack, had said, those who care about the future of Afghanistan cannot back down to insurgents and criminals who threaten a future of possibility. Our firm resolve is to move forward,”
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.
The American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) was a private university located in the Darulaman section of Kabul. Former students of AUAF live abroad and, as of 2022, there are plans to create a new AUAF campus in Qatar. AUAF was the country's first private, not-for-profit institution of higher education and was located in Kabul near the Darul Aman Palace and the Afghan Parliament.
Jalaluddin Haqqani was an Afghan insurgent commander who founded the Haqqani network, an insurgent group fighting in guerilla warfare against US-led NATO forces and the now former government of Afghanistan they support.
Sirajuddin Haqqani is an Afghan warlord who is the first deputy leader of Afghanistan and the acting interior minister. He has been a deputy leader of the Taliban since 2015, and was additionally appointed to his ministerial role after the Taliban's victory over Western-backed forces in the 2001–2021 war. He has led the Haqqani network, a semi-autonomous paramilitary arm of the Taliban, since inheriting it from his father in 2018, and has primarily had military responsibilities within the Taliban.
The 2008 Kabul Serena Hotel attack was an attack on the gym of the Kabul Serena Hotel, in Kabul, Afghanistan on January 14, 2008, for which the Taliban claimed responsibility.
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.
The 2009 Kabul Indian embassy bombing was a suicide bomb attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan on 8 October 2009 at 8:30 am local time. The bombing killed 17 people and wounded 83.
The February 2010 Kabul attack on 26 February 2010 was a combined suicide bombing and shooting attack. A car bomb levelled the Arya Guesthouse, also known as the Hamid Guesthouse, popular with Indian doctors. Two armed attackers then entered the nearby Park Residence, housing other foreigners. One detonated a suicide bomb, and the other was shot dead. The Safi Landmark Hotel nearby was badly damaged by the blasts. At least 18 people were killed and 36 more were injured.
The following lists events that happened during 2015 in Afghanistan.
The following lists events that happened during 2016 in Afghanistan.
On the morning of 19 April 2016, Taliban militants attacked a security team responsible for protecting government VIPs in Kabul, Afghanistan. The initial attack killed 64 people and wounded 347. It was their biggest attack on an urban area since 2001.
Events in the year 2017 in Afghanistan.
Events in the year 2018 in Afghanistan.
The Islamic State–Taliban conflict is an ongoing armed conflict between the Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-KP) and the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. The conflict initially began when both operated as insurgent groups in Nangarhar; since the creation of the Taliban's emirate in 2021, IS-KP have targeted and assassinated Taliban members using hit-and-run tactics. The group have also caused incidents and attacks across the border in Pakistan.
On 2 November 2020, three gunmen stormed the campus of Kabul University in Kabul, Afghanistan, killing 32 people and wounding 50 others. The attack began around the time that government officials were expected to arrive at the campus for the opening of an Iranian book fair. The three gunmen were later killed during a fight with security forces. The attack occurred at around 11:00 A.M. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province (ISIL-KP) claimed responsibility for the attack.
2021 (MMXXI) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2021st year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 21st year of the 3rd millennium and the 21st century, and the 2nd year of the 2020s decade.
The People's Peace Movement or Helmand Peace Convoy is a nonviolent resistance grassroots group in Afghanistan, created in March 2018 after a suicide car bomb attack on 19 March in Lashkargah, Helmand Province. The PPM calls for the military forces of both the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban to implement a ceasefire and advance the Afghan peace process. The group marched across Afghanistan to Kabul, where it met leaders of both parties and conducted sit-ins in front of diplomatic posts, before continuing its march to Balkh and Mazar-i-Sharif, arriving in September 2018.
A suicide bombing took place at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on 26 August 2021, at 17:50 local time, during the evacuation from Afghanistan. At least 183 people were killed, including 170 Afghan civilians and 13 members of the United States military, the first American military casualties in the War in Afghanistan since February 2020. The Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISIS–K) claimed responsibility for the attack.
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