Guards working as part of the security detail for former Afghan Prime Minister and leader of the Hezb-e-Islami political party, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, have shot dead two would-be assassins after reports that the veteran politician was the target of an assassination. Hekmatyar has said that one of the attackers was disguised in a burqa while the pair both wore suicide vests. In a subsequent video statement, he revealed that a number of people had been injured in the attack. [1]
Afghanistan is currently being governed by the Taliban after the disastrous hasty withdrawal of the last remaining US and allied forces in August 2021. The country has suffered from decades of US occupation dating back to 2001, and a decade of Soviet occupation in the late 70s and 80s.
It is understood that Hekmatyar, 73, had gathered at the Iman mosque in the Darulaman area of Kabul to perform Friday prayers, when two armed men attempted to enter the building.
Guards quickly engaged with the perpetrators; however, two security guards were understood to have died in the firefight.
Despite not currently acting in any official capacity in government, Hekmatyar has previously given his unconditional support to the Taliban government. In a statement, he reaffirmed his resoluteness in standing with the country:
“I assure my countrymen, a failed attempt happened here by those who have done it many times but have failed. It cannot lower our morale or our resistance… we will stand with our nation.” [1]
Pakistan embassy attack
Along with the failed assassination attempt against Hekmatyar, on the same day there was also an attack at the Pakistani embassy in Kabul.
On Monday, the government blamed a foreign ISIS fighter for the ghastly incident, in which a number of people were wounded or killed. Pakistani officials have labelled the attack an assassination attempt against their head of mission, Ubaid Ur Rehman Nizamani. [2]
Zabihullah Mujahid, an Afghani government spokesperson, said of the embassy attack,
“Behind the attack, there is the hand of some foreign groups. And their aim is to create distrust between the two brotherly countries [i.e. Afghanistan and Pakistan].” [2]
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan remains one of the few countries to have a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan, with fourteen others including China, India, Russia, Iran, Qatar, Turkey, and a number of other Asian and Middle Eastern states. Following the Friday embassy attack, Pakistani leaders reiterated that they have no intentions to close the diplomatic mission in neighbouring Afghanistan.
Source: Islam21c
Notes
[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/kabul-hit-by-attack-near-office-former-afghan-pm-hekmatyar-sources-2022-12-02/
[2] https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/afghan-taliban-blame-foreign-islamic-state-fighter-pakistan-embassy-attack-2022-12-05/
