Afghanistan: at least 14 dead and 90 injured in car bomb attack, one day before official start of US troop withdrawal

At least 14 people died and 90 were injured this Friday after a car bomb exploded in eastern Afghanistan, reported the Interior Ministry, one day before the official start of the withdrawal of US troops from the country.

The attack took place in a hostel in Pul-e-Alam, the capital of Logar province, where many people were staying, including students, when people broke their fast during the holy month of Ramadan. “Fourteen people died and 90 others were injured,” ministry spokesman Tariq Arian said.

Shortly before, the spokesperson had indicated that the explosion caused damage to the area, including a hospital and homes. “The roofs of the houses have collapsed and people are trapped in the wreckage”he told reporters.

According to him, the victims included university students who were staying in the building, as well as doctors and patients from the hospital.

The attack takes place a day before the US military officially begins the withdrawal of troops deployed in the country.

US President Joe Biden has announced that all his country’s troops will be out of Afghanistan before September 11, the 20th anniversary of the attacks on the United States, which marked the start of the intervention in Afghanistan.

The United States maintains approximately 2,500 troops in Afghanistan. Among the Europeans, Germany has 1,300 soldiers, Italy 895 and the United Kingdom 750.

A NATO official reported on Thursday that the withdrawal of troops that the transatlantic military alliance maintains in Afghanistan has started in a coordinated manner and with special attention to security measures. “We are taking all necessary measures to keep our staff out of danger”the source said, and warned that any possible Taliban attack on NATO troops “Will be fought hard”.

On April 14, NATO countries agreed to begin the withdrawal and issued a memo in which they recognized “That there is no military solution to the challenges Afghanistan faces.”

“We went to Afghanistan together, we adjusted our position together and we united to withdraw together.”, said the NATO Secretary General that day, Jens Stoltenberg, who added that “it is not an easy decision and involves risks”.

With information from AFP

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