New Delhi: The suicide bombing outside the
Indian Embassy in Kabul was on Thursday condemned by various
nations, including the UK, US and Pakistan, who described the
attack as "deeply troubling" and "awful".
In an apparent reference to Pakistan, Afghanistan said
the suicide bomb attack was "planned and implemented from
outside the borders of Afghanistan" and the matter was being
investigated.
Terming the attack, which killed 17 people and injured
nearly 80 others, including three ITBP jawans, as "deeply
troubling", US Ambassador Timothy Roemer also extended US
support to India.
"Our heart goes out to India, to the victims of terrorism
and our prayers are with the people of India today," Roemer
told reporters here.
Condemning the suicide attack, Pakistan said it was
carried out by elements who want to damage relations between
India and Pakistan and sabotage coalition peace efforts in
Afghanistan.
Islamabad hoped the incident would not affect cooperation
against terrorism between India, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The powerful blast blew up the mission watch tower,
destroyed vehicles and left a trail of death and destruction.
British High Commissioner to India Richard Stagg said, "I
condemn unreservedly the awful attack which took place in
Kabul earlier today. Our thoughts and condolences are with the
injured and with the families of those killed.
Fakiri said it was an act by the "enemies of peace and
prosperity and friendly relations between India and
Afghanistan".
A statement from Afghanistan Foreign Ministry said the
attack was "planned and implemented from outside of Afghan
borders" by the same elements who carried out the July 7, 2008
suicide bombing at the Indian Embassy.
While the Indian Embassy staff was safe, the three ITBP
personnel suffered "slight injuries" in the attack, second in
15 months.
Roemer, meanwhile, also said "these kind of bombings are
deeply concerning to the American people and its all the more
reason, why the US and India are working together, not just in
bilateral ways but in strategic global ways to cooperate to
take on some of the scourge of this radical elements that can
bomb and kill innocent people."
Bureau Report
