Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

Terrorists Usually Deny Mass Casualties

It is clear that Taliban militants, as a branch of wider terrorist network in the region and world, have been actively engaged in act of violence to cause fear for the purpose of changing behavior in the society. Their common acts of atrocities continue to be suicide attacks, roadside bombings and kidnappings, which often lead to mass casualties in Afghan society and to which ordinary Afghans usually fall victims.

The terrorist attacks carried out by the Taliban militants and other insurgent outfits continue to have three major consequences, which are: mass destruction, mass casualty and mass disruption. Their insurgent activities continue to cause damages to roads, bridges and other government installations and buildings, which have mainly been constructed with the aid money from international community and donors. It becomes clear when one travels the highways that have been built after the fall of Taliban in late 2001.

Almost every five minutes, more or less, one comes across the ruined parts of the road caused by Taliban militants through roadside bombings. The Taliban militants remain the major cause of civilian casualties, which often take place in huge numbers as on Saturday, June 25, 2011, more than 60 people were killed in a suicide bombing at a hospital in Logar province. According to reports, another 120 people were wounded in the blast in the remote Azra district.

Deen Mohammad Darwish, spokesman for the provincial governor was reported to have said, "The information we have is that a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a hospital, killing 35 civilians and wounding 45 more." Although the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied responsibility and said insurgents never attack hospitals, it is to be mentioned that since they do not want to turn the local people against themselves, they usually deny the responsibility for the attacks that lead to mass casualties and the Logar suicide bombing on Saturday is one of those attacks. That is why it is rightly said that "the nature of modern terrorism is that anyone can be a victim." The Taliban militants linked with broader network of terrorists continue to cause mass disruption in the society.

The insurgent activities have hampered economic restoration and reconstruction efforts across the country. The disruption of daily lives of Afghan people by the Taliban suicide attackers is the disruption of social, economic and political life in the country. It is hoped that there will be a day when Afghans can get rid of these terrorists.