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Afghan police say bombs explode at Kandahar police headquarters, 2 policemen dead

Canadian Press Article online since September 6th 2008, 23:00
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KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - A suicide blast Sunday inside Kandahar city's police headquarters that left at least two police dead and 37 people wounded is merely the latest brazen attack by insurgents in Afghanistan's second-largest cityinsist. But both Canadian and Afghan officials insist security in the provincial capital may well be the best in the province.
Officials say two suicide attackers detonated bombs inside the police station in an attempt to assassinate Gen. Abdul Raziq, a border police commander, and provincial police chief Matiullah Achakzai.
The blasts went off within a minute of each other, one on a ground floor and one on an upper floor, officials said.
Najib Pervaiz, a spokesman for the governor, said two police were killed and 29 police and eight civilians were wounded. He said 16 of the wounded were in critical condition.
Karim Agha, a police officer wounded in the attack, said the bomber wanted to get close to Gen. Raziq, but his guards stopped him. After that, Agha said, he didn't know what happened because he went unconscious.
One high-ranking officer, who asked not to be identified because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media, said six police were killed and 13 wounded, including Raziq. It wasn't immediately possible to reconcile the different figures.
Canadian troops and Afghan soldiers surrounded the police headquarters shortly after the explosions but Canadians reportedly left the area soon after as police had the situation under control.
The attack comes just three months after militants unleashed a massive attack on the city's prison in June, killing some nine police officers and setting free almost 900 prisoners.
Zulmay Ayuobi, a spokesman for Kandahar governor Ramatullah Raufi, said the incident is worrisome but that he doesn't think it will "bring chaos to the city."
"It certainly has an effect on the security process and shows that there is some weakness among the security personnel," he admitted.
"We will find out after the investigation how it was possible for two bombers to enter into the police station wearing explosive vests and detonate themselves inside a building."
Still, Ayuobi said coalition and Afghan forces have managed to stop some 70 improvised explosive devices from wreaking havoc across the city over the last two months, often thanks to Kandahar citizens who call in suspected threats.
"It demonstrates that the people of Kandahar want peace and stability," he said, adding the enemy appears to be changing its tactics and targeting infrastructure and government buildings.
"Without question, the enemy wants to sabotage the peace and security process... but we are strong enough to answer their attacks."
While the Afghan army has made massive strides in recent years, earning the respect of the Afghan population, corruption and a lack of training still hampers the fledgling police force.
Ayuobi is nonetheless confident things are improving with the introduction of Focus District Development, a massive effort to formally train and equip police region by region.
Canadian Commander Brig.-Gen. Denis Thompson has said the province needs another battalion of Afghan army soldiers and about 4,000 trained police officers if it's going to properly secure the province.
A fourth Afghan National Army battalion, is expected to begin operating in Kandahar by the spring. There are currently about 1,000 trained police officers and 2,300 auxiliary police officers operating in the region.
Thompson has also suggested that while two-thirds of the volatile Zhari and Panjwaii regions remain off limits to development and reconstruction due to a lack of security, the situation is much different in the city where nine out of 10 IEDs are safely neutralized.
"Brave citizens of Kandahar city are reporting insurgent activity and suspected IEDs to the authorities," he said a few weeks ago, echoing Ayuobi's claim.
"Afghan citizens who are willing to take a stand against insurgents are the greatest weapons we possess in our fight against the Taliban."
Ron Hoffmann, Canada's new ambassador to Afghanistan, also said recently that Kandahar city is one place where development and reconstruction is thriving and where commerce has picked up and people are "continuing to build their lives."
More than 4,000 people have died in insurgency-related violence this year, according to an Associated Press tally of figures from Western and Afghan officials.
-With files from A.R. Khan and AP
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