Afghan forces repel Taliban spring offensive
(B2) Taliban attacks on Afghan institutions, NATO forces, as well as foreign embassies, which took place between Sunday (April 15) and Monday (April 16), have been countered and are now over, after 18 p.m. of the siege. "All attackers are dead, the battle is overAfghan Interior Minister Sediq Sediqqi told AFP this morning. This is the same network that carried out the attacks on the US embassy and NATO headquarters last September.
It was the Afghan forces who organized the counter-attack, with success according to the Westerners who are gradually transferring command and the combat role to them. "I am extremely proud of the speed with which Afghan forces responded to today's attacks in Kabul"said the commander of the NATO forces on the spot, John Allen. "They were on the spot immediately, well led and well coordinated. They integrated their efforts, helped protect their fellow citizens and largely contained the attackers".
However, these attacks are unprecedented in terms of sophistication and organization, coming from the Taliban, and show that the situation is far from resolved. Several areas were targeted simultaneously, from 13:45 p.m. yesterday in the capital as well as in various provinces, making the situation extremely complicated for the local authorities, who had to request NATO air support. A Taliban spokesperson, Zabiullah Mujahid, asserted "we are strong and we can attack where we want, when we want"In fact, that the Taliban could go after the ultra-secure heart of Kabul and official Afghan and Western institutions in this way is quite worrying. It was in a way a test for the Afghan army, which seems have passed it successfully.
The American, British, German and Japanese embassies were targeted by the Taliban. On the Afghan side, these are the parliament (Kabul), various government buildings (Logar province), Jalalabad airport and a police station (in the town of Garde, Paktya province). For her part, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, "condemns in the strongest terms"these attacks in an official statement. In addition, the EEAS is in contact with the EU personnel on the spot and reports that they are safe.
