Nadahan wedding bombing
2010 suicide bombing in Arghandab District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan
Nagahan wedding bombing | |
---|---|
Location | Nagahan, Arghandab District , Kandahar Province , Afghanistan |
Coordinates | 31°38′48″N 65°35′11″E / 31.64667°N 65.58639°E / 31.64667; 65.58639 |
Date |
9
June
2010
(
2010-06-09
)
16:30 ( UTC ) |
Attack type
|
Suicide bombing |
Weapons | Explosive belt |
Deaths | 40 [1] |
Injured | 77 [1] |
The Nagahan wedding bombing was a suicide bombing on a wedding party, which occurred on 9 June 2010 at around 21:00 local time (16:30 GMT ) in the village of Nagahan in Arghandab District of Kandahar Province , Afghanistan . The attack killed at least 40 people and wounded at least 77 others. The Ottawa Citizen described it as "the most lethal attack in the south in recent memory". [2]
Bombing
The explosion occurred in a men-only area of the wedding party [3] where guests were eating. [4] The female guests were in another building. [4] A white-clothed boy under 13 walked in and approached within 15 feet (4.6 m) of the dinner tables before fiddling with the bomb attached to his vest. [5] There followed a "ball of fire and smoke". [4] Some of those killed were children. [3] The groom was wounded [3] and his brother killed. [5]
At least three Afghan police officers were at the wedding. [4] Some suggested the attack was intended for 17 of the guests who were members of an anti- Taliban guard group, which had once been encouraged by United States Special Operations Forces before they gave up on it. [6] Blood donations were requested via television. [3] The coffins of the dead were lined adjacent to the mortuary . [3]
Investigation
A group of investigators was sent to the village by Afghanistan's Interior Ministry . [5]
NATO issued a statement saying none of their soldiers were behind it. [4] The Taliban were instead blamed by the NATO troops; however, the Taliban stated that they were not responsible for the attack, [3] even condemning it as "a brutal act". [3] Deputy commander of NATO forces, Lt. Gen. Nick Parker , described it as "ruthless violence" and claimed these were "sickening and indiscriminate tactics to try to intimidate the citizens of Afghanistan". [4]
A military spokesperson representing the United States said the attack had not been an airstrike carried out by his country. [4] He dismissed speculation to the contrary as "Taliban misinformation". [4]
Response
President Hamid Karzai stated his condemnation and requested "a thorough investigation". [4] Karzai, in the presence of the United Kingdom 's Prime Minister David Cameron (who was visiting Afghanistan for the first official time), labelled it "a crime of massive inhuman proportions". [7]
Tooryalai Wesa , governor of Kandahar Province, spoke at a news conference in Nadahan after the attack and demonstrated a piece of metal he had found which he said resembled part of a suicide bomb. [4]
United Nations Special Representative for Afghanistan Staffan de Mistura said it was an "outrageous act" and that "to specifically target people who were gathering at a moment of happiness to celebrate a wedding shows a total disregard for civilian life". [5]
References
- 1 2 Fox David and Popeski, Ron (10 June 2010). "Dozens killed by blast at Afghan wedding party" . The Star (Malaysia) . Star Publications. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011 . Retrieved 10 June 2010 .
- ↑ Fisher, Matthew (11 June 2010). "Bombing at Afghan wedding kills 40: Ten children among victims; Taliban denies suicide attack in district targeted by NATO" . Ottawa Citizen . Canwest . Archived from the original on 15 June 2010 . Retrieved 11 June 2010 .
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Afghanistan blast at Nadahan wedding a 'suicide bomb' " . BBC News . BBC. 10 June 2010. Archived from the original on 10 June 2010 . Retrieved 10 June 2010 .
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Khan, Mirwais (10 June 2010). "Suicide attack kills 40 at Afghan wedding party" . The Washington Times . Retrieved 9 June 2020 .
- 1 2 3 4 Rodriguez, Alex (11 June 2010). "Young Afghan suicide bomber approached wedding guests" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 11 June 2010 .
- ↑ "Afghan wedding attacks aimed at anti-Taliban guests: report" . Hindustan Times . India: HT Media Ltd . 11 June 2010. Archived from the original on 15 June 2010 . Retrieved 11 June 2010 .
- ↑ "Karzai condemns Nadahan bombing" . Aljazeera . 10 June 2010. Archived from the original on 10 June 2010 . Retrieved 10 June 2010 .
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