FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 29, 2008
Release Number 20082912-02
16 Afghans dead, 58 Afghans wounded in Khowst province suicide attack Sunday
KABUL, Afghanistan – One of Public Affairs’ primary responsibilities is to ensure factual reporting of events to the public and to counter enemy propaganda.
Sunday, Zabihollah Mojahed, a Taliban spokesperson, reported a martyrdom attack carried out in Khowst province. Mojahed claimed the attack killed 20 foreign soldiers, wounded dozens and destroyed an unknown number of tanks.
The true result of this indiscriminate act of murder was 16 Afghans killed, including 14 children and one Afghan National Army soldier, and 58 Afghans wounded.
The surveillance video, released to the media Sunday by ISAF Public Affairs, clearly shows the children in full view of the suicide bomber. The bomber could have waited for the children to leave the area, but he decided to detonate his bombs and kill the children. The video is available upon request.
“The bombing in Khowst demonstrates, once again, that the insurgents are a cancer to the Afghan people,” said Col. Jerry O’Hara, U.S. Forces Afghanistan spokesperson. “It is tragic for enemies to declare themselves martyrs after killing innocent children. There was no martyr here. A real martyr would have taken a bullet to save those children.”
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United States Forces Afghanistan’s mission, in coordination with NATO’s International Security Assistance Force, is to conduct operations to defeat terrorist networks and insurgents by developing effective governance and building the Afghan National Security Force. Effective security throughout the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan facilitates continued regional stability and increases economic development for the people of Afghanistan.
Contact Information – US Forces Afghanistan Public Affairs Office
Tel +93 (0) 799 51 2919 or cell phone 0093 (0) 788 189 049
USFOR-A-MediaRelations@afghan.swa.army.mil