8th July 2008. The explosion impacted seriously on the neighboring Indonesian Embassy, causing the deaths of five Afghan guards. “Even though the Indonesian Embassy in Kabul was not a target, the bombing site was really close, causing serious damage to the building and injuring two Indonesian diplomats,” said Indonesian Foreign Affairs Department spokes person, Teuku Faizasyah. He said the situation in Kabul was chaotic and that the Indonesian government was waiting for further reports from the embassy. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono conveyed his condolences to the families of the slain guards.
The bomb exploded on one of Kabul’s main roads, near Afghanistan’s Home Affairs Department. Several witnesses said that the car bomb hit two cars belonging to Indian diplomats, which were entering the embassy compound. The blast killed 41 people and injured 141 people, including six policemen. Most victims were Afghans lining up to get their visas for India. The Indian embassy lost two security guards and two diplomats, Defense Attaché Brig. R. Mehta and Politic Counselor V. Venkateswara Rao. Parts of Rao were thrown to the roof and were found hours later.
The bomb is the worst attack in Kabul since the Taliban revolution, which was driven away by the US-backed NATO forces in 2001. Since then, members of the Taliban have often executed suicide bombings. However, Zabihullah Mujahed, the radical Muslim group’s spokes person, denied the Taliban’s involvement. “We did not do it,” he claimed. Afghan President Hamid Karzai accused the enemies of ‘Afghanistan and India’ to be behind the attack. The United States, Europe, Germany, Bangladesh and Pakistan all condemned the attack. India is Afghanistan’s fourth largest donor country since 2001, having contributed more than Rp 7 trillion, particularly in the form and infrastructure and telecommunications development. “Such acts of terror will not deter us from fulfilling our commitment toward the government and people of Afghanistan,” said an Indian government spokesman.
