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O 261441Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5891
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000700 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: FBI PREL PTER AF
SUBJECT: GIROA STRONGLY CONDEMNS TERRORIST ATTACK ON KABUL 
- EXTENDS CONDOLENCES TO INDIA 
 
¶1.  The Afghan government swung into action to publicly and 
strongly condemn Taliban suicide and car bomb attacks in 
central Kabul the morning of February 26 that killed at least 
13 people and wounded approximately thirty-two. 
Demonstrating an unprecedented degree of intergovernmental 
cooperation, spokespersons from the Ministry of Interior 
(MOI), the Office of the President, and the Government Media 
and Information Center (GMIC) began coordinating within an 
hour of the 6:30 a.m. attack.  The MOI spokesman provided 
numerous interviews detailing events even as the attacks were 
ongoing. 
 
¶2.  The Palace issued a strong statement in Pashto condemning 
attacks on this special Islamic holiday, calling the 
attackers "enemies of Islam and the Afghan people" and 
consigning them to hell.  Minister of Hajj and Religious 
Affairs Mohammad Yousuf Niazi instructed mullahs to condemn 
the attack in their Friday prayers.  Radio Television 
Afghanistan (RTA) filmed sermons of condemnation at four main 
Kabul mosques during two o'clock prayers for broadcasting on 
the evening news. The deputy head of the Ulema Council, 
Mullah Manawi, will condemn the attacks in a special program 
being filmed at 5:00 by RTA. 
 
¶3.  The Afghan security forces brought the situation under 
control within two hours.  Although it was first thought the 
Safi Landmark hotel was the the target of the attacks, media 
reports indicate the Taliban spokesman who claimed 
responsibility indicated that "foreign" guest houses in the 
area were the targets.  Four Indian nationals were killed. 
 
¶4.  An informal translation of the Palace Statement issued in 
Pashto at 1:30 p.m. reads: 
 
Begin Statement:  Presidential Palace: H.E. Hamid Karzai 
President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan condemned in 
the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Kabul's Shar e 
Nau area that killed and injured many civilians. 
 
Terrorists targeted this morning two hotels around Ansari 
square in Kabul where mostly Indian nationals were housed. 
At least thirteen people including four Indians and an 
Italian national were killed and many more were injured. 
 
President Karzai is saddened by the un-Islamic and inhuman 
act saying, "The attack on a Muslim holiday of the Prophet 
Mohammad's (PBUH) birth anniversary clearly shows that the 
perpetrators are indeed the enemies of Islam and the people 
of Afghanistan and will be burning in hell fires." 
 
The President instructed the public health ministry to put to 
use all possible means and resources for a speedy recovery of 
the injured. 
 
The President also ordered all security agencies to make 
every possible effort to capture the organizers and 
perpetrators of the terrorist act and report back. 
 
President Hamid Karzai extends deep sympathies and 
condolences to the people and government of India and to the 
families of the victims and prays for a quick recovery of the 
injured.  End Statement 
 
¶5.  The USG issued the following statement: 
 
Begin Statement:  The United States strongly condemns the 
brutal attack this morning in central Kabul, which has killed 
and injured many innocent Afghans and citizens of other 
nations.  We condemn this inhumane act by the Taliban, which 
was carried out on a holiday focused on family and prayer. 
 
We commend the Afghan National Security Forces for bringing 
the situation under control quickly.  Our thoughts and 
condolences are with those affected by this act of terror. 
The United States remains firmly committed to working 
side-by-side with the Afghan Government and people, as well 
as our international partners, to deliver security and a 
better future to Afghanistan.  End Statement 
 
¶6. (SBU)  Comment:  Compared to its past inability to respond 
effectively to weekend events, the Afghan government's public 
response has been robust, well-coordinated, and on target. 
It leveraged the fact that the attack took place on a special 
Islamic holiday to give lie to the Taliban's claim to be the 
representatives of Islam.  Effective collaboration between 
newly installed Presidential Palace Spokesman Waheed Omer and 
staff from the MOI, GMIC, the Hajj and Religious Affairs 
Ministry, and RTA ensured that the tragic events of the day 
have been condemned officially and unequivocally for what 
they are - terrorism.  Also noteworthy in the palace 
 
KABUL 00000700  002 OF 002 
 
 
statement is the singling out of Indian victims, a clear 
swipe at Pakistan, who many speculate may have been behind 
the bombing of the Indian Embassy in Kabul in 2009.  End 
Comment. 
RICCIARDONE