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Afghanistan: Taliban attempt to assassinate Karzai on “Mujahedin Day” holiday; Afghan soldiers and armed police flee with crowd

Apr 27, 2008 2:33 pm By Marisol Seibold

A study in contrasts: U.S. soldiers continued to salute during the gunfire, which started during the national anthem.”Reporter: Soldiers, police flee gunfire at Afghan ceremony,” from the Associated Press:

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The first shot sounded sharply. It was clear something was wrong.

I heard the second crack, and a third, fourth, fifth, and at that point all the journalists were on the ground, ducking from the whizzing bullets. The Taliban were attacking a ceremony led by Karzai.

“Get down! Get down!” people yelled to each other.

Karzai and hundreds of Afghan and foreign dignitaries had been preparing to take their seats across from Kabul’s largest mosque. They were marking the 16th anniversary of the fall of the Soviet-backed communist regime in Afghanistan.

The gunfire broke out as a marching band was playing the national anthem.

Two U.S. soldiers who had been saluting in the bleachers near the president pointed to some nearby houses, from where the gunfire appeared to have come. They still put their hands back up to their caps in salute as the anthem ended. …

I ran toward a 3-meter- (10-foot-) high wall with several other journalists clutching video cameras and tripods. To our surprise, uniformed soldiers and armed police followed us. Uniformed musicians of the marching band also ran away.

Well, no one wants to tackle gunfire armed only with a clarinet. But as for the armed police and regular Afghan soldiers: We can’t want a free, stable country for you.

More information from “Karzai escapes deadly Taliban attack,” from CNN:

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) — Taliban militants opened fire at a military ceremony in the capital Sunday morning. A lawmaker, tribal leader and 10-year-old child were killed, but President Hamid Karzai escaped unhurt, according to an official and a statement from Karzai’s office.

The attack also wounded more than 12 people, including a member of parliament, a Health Ministry official said.

The attack occurred at a Mujahedeen Victory Day ceremony, observing the 16th anniversary of Afghanistan mujahedeen fighters’ overthrow of President Mohammad Najibullah’s Soviet-backed regime.

Small arms fire erupted as a military band played the Afghan national anthem and as soldiers fired a 21-gun salute with artillery rounds.

The people standing did not react for several seconds, but security guards shielded Karzai and whisked him away from the reviewing stand. Other dignitaries quickly scrambled to safety.

Karzai appeared on state-run television fewer than two hours later and called on citizens to remain calm.

The Health Ministry official said lawmaker Fazel Rahman Samkanai died from injuries sustained in the attack. A presidential statement said Nasir Ahmad Latifi, a council head of the Qezelbashan ethnic group, and a 10-year-old child were killed.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mojahed issued a statement, claiming responsibility.

“Six of our Fedayeen martyrs entered to the stadium for the ceremony. They were heavily armed with mortars and machine guns. This was an organized attack. When the national anthem started they started the attack. Three were killed and three have survived,” the statement said.

The Taliban also claimed its fighters got within 30 yards of the stand where Karzai and other dignitaries were standing. A diplomatic source said a mortar round landed near the stand.

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