By Brian Lanciault

Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

NEW DELHI, India– Insurgents attacked an Indian consulate in Afghanistan’s eastern capital Jalalbabad on Saturday morning. Twelve people were killed, reinforcing growing fear that a regional struggle will soon erupt as foreign troops pull out of the country.

Twenty-three were wounded after checkpoint guards stopped three men in a car as they approached the consulate in Jalalbabad. Two of the men jumped out of the car and opened fire on the guards, while the third detonated multiple explosives. No Indian officials were killed, though the blast badly damaged a mosque and dozens of homes and small shops nearby according to a statement issued by the office of the governor of Nangarhar province, Gul Agha Sherzai.

India condemned the attack and, without naming any country or group, blamed outside forces.

“This attack has once again highlighted that the main threat to Afghanistan’s security and stability stems from terrorism and the terror machine that continues to operate from beyond its borders,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

Arch-rivals India and Pakistan have long vied for power and influence in Afghanistan. Many see the struggle intensifying as more international forces are pulled out of the region by the end of next year. Afghans fear that the absence of NATO-led foreign forces could lead to another round of bloody external interference and turmoil in the impoverished and violence-racked country.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, seen as close to India, is strongly opposed to the Taliban, who some say is supported by elements of the Pakistani state, in particular its powerful intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The Taliban, which openly promotes armed opposition to Karzai’s Western-backed government, denied responsibility for Saturday’s attack on the Indian consulate close to Pakistan’s border. Nevertheless, Afghan sources identified the three attackers as “Pakistani nationals”.

Attacks on the Indian embassy in Kabul -two during 2008 and 2009 that killed more than 50 people together – led to accusations by Karzai that Pakistan was attempting to obliterate India-Afghanistan relations. He gave no evidence for his assertion, and Pakistan denied its truth.

Victim’s of Saturday’s attack included eight children, and several women. Many people had gathered outside of the consulate to apply for visas when the attack occurred. An additional 23 people were injured; however, Afghan reports have dubbed the attack a “failure”.

 

For more information, please see:

Reuters — Attack on Indian mission in Afghanistan raises specter of regional struggle — 3 August 2013

BBC — Afghan attack targets Indian Mission — 3 August 2013

Indian Express — Blast at Indian consulate in Afghanistan kills 12 — 4 August 2013

Bloomberg — Suicide Attack on India Consulate in Afghanistan as Ties Deepen — 4 August 2013

The Guardian — Indian consulate in Afghanistan attacked by suicide bombers — 3 August 2013