Suicide Bombing and Gunfight in Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, March 4, 2007 — -- With so much attention on U.S. and coalition forces' missions in Iraq, it is easy to forget the other war -- but over the past several days, heads have turned towards Afghanistan.
Today it was the eastern part of that country, where a minivan rigged with explosives crashed into a U.S. convoy along a busy highway.
The blast was followed by gunfire from militants, which sent marines fleeing the scene. As many as 10 Afghan civilians were killed, and dozens were wounded.
Following the attack, there was anger on the streets, as three protestors say U.S. forces shot indiscriminately into the crowd.
U.S. officials blame the Taliban, saying the militant gunfire may have killed and injured civilians.
Afghanistan's Interior Ministry said most of the bullets were American. But U.S. officials insist that the troops shot in self-defense after the Taliban mounted a complex attack.
The crowds that gathered around the scene, however, clearly did not agree with the claim of the U.S. officials. They chanted "Death to America."
"It's just a problem of being a foreign army in any country where you are fighting an insurgency," said Barnett R. Rubin, a leading expert on Afghanistan.
"When you kill civilians, which inevitably happens; it breeds hatred, resentment, and recruits people to the insurgency," Rubin said.
Since the U.S.-led invasion into Afghanistan in 2001, an unknown number of civilians have been killed by international forces. The accusation that U.S. forces killed and wounded Afghan civilians in this attack could likely have a chaotic effect.
The Taliban is now gearing up for what is being called a major "spring offensive." Just a few days ago, a Taliban commander told Al Jazeera TV the plans involve as many as 20,000 fighters and hundreds of suicide bombers.
Mullah Dadullah, the leader of the Taliban's military operations, criticized Pakistan and other Arab nations who have helped the U.S. and its allies.
"We have come from all over the world," Dadullah said. "God willing, our military operation will escalate greatly."
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