17 August 2019 Kabul bombing

On 17 August 2019, a suicide bombing took place during a wedding in a wedding hall in Kabul, Afghanistan. At least 92 people were killed in the attack and over 140 injured.[1][2][3][4][5] The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claimed responsibility for the bombing, stating that the attack targeted the Shi'ites.[6] More than 1,000 people were gathered for the wedding when the attack took place.[7][6] The attack occurred a day before the 100th Afghan Independence Day, causing the government to postpone the planned celebrations taking place at the Darul Aman Palace.[8] It was the deadliest attack in Kabul since January 2018.[9]

17 August 2019 Kabul bombing
Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and Persecution of Shias by the Islamic State
Bombing site is located in Afghanistan
Bombing site
Bombing site
Bombing site (Afghanistan)
Bombing site is located in Kabul
Bombing site
Bombing site
Bombing site (Kabul)
LocationKabul, Afghanistan
Coordinates34.5007°N 69.1452°E / 34.5007; 69.1452
Date17 August 2019 (2019-08-17)
10:40 p.m. (AFT; UTC+04:30)
TargetShia Hazara civilians
Attack type
Suicide bombing
WeaponsExplosive belt
Deaths92
Injured142
PerpetratorsIslamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province
MotiveAnti-Shi'ism
 

Attack

The suicide bombing occurred at approximately 10:40 p.m. Afghanistan Time (UTC+04:30) in western Kabul, in an area heavily populated by the Shia Hazara minority, inside the "Dubai City" wedding hall.[10][11] The suicide bomber detonated the explosives in the men's section[12] of the wedding hall, near the stage where musicians were playing,[13] at a time when hundreds were inside the building for a wedding ceremony.[14] The bomber detonated a suicide vest packed with ball bearings.[15]

The explosion occurred shortly before the wedding ceremony was supposed to start.[13] According to the wedding hall's owner, more than 1,200 people had been invited to the event, with a mixed group of Shi'ites and Sunnis attending.[16] Most of the attendees were ethnic Hazaras.[6] Both the bride and the groom were Shi'ite,[6] and both from modest working class families, with the groom working as a tailor.[15] Their families had discussed how to schedule the timing of the wedding to try to minimize the risk of an attack.[15]

At least 63 people were initially killed and 182 injured. While the bride and groom survived, both lost several family members. Many children were also among those killed.[6] 17 more people succumbed to their injuries in the days after the attack, bringing the death toll to 80.[5] The final death toll was put at 92.

Responsibility

The day after the attack, a local affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS, the Islamic State, or Daesh) claimed responsibility for the attack.[17][18] The statement of responsibility claimed that after the suicide bombing inside the wedding hall, a car bomb was also detonated outside as emergency vehicles were arriving.[19] The follow-up car bombing has not been confirmed by the authorities.[20]

The Taliban denied responsibility for the attack,[6][21] with a spokesman stating that the Taliban "condemns [the bombing] in the strongest terms".[6]

Reactions

Domestic

President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani declared a day of mourning.[20] He also stated that the Taliban can not fully escape blame for the attack either, saying that "The Taliban cannot absolve themselves of blame for they provide platform for terrorists."[22][23]

The Taliban denied responsibility for the attack and condemned it. The group's spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement that the group "strongly condemns explosion [sic] targeting civilians inside a hotel in Kabul city," while also adding that "Such barbaric deliberate attacks against civilians including women and children are forbidden and unjustifiable."[21]

See also

References
  1. "Afghanistan war: Tracking the killings in August 2019". BBC News. 16 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  2. "Suicide attack targeting Kabul wedding kills at least 60". France 24. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  3. Sediqi, Abdul Qadir (17 August 2019). "Afghan wedding suicide blast kills 63, amid hopes for talks". Reuters. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  4. "Bomb blast at wedding party in Kabul, Afghanistan kills 63 and injures 182 more". Sky News. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  5. "Death toll in Afghanistan wedding blast rises to 80". Al Jazeera. 21 August 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  6. Constable, Pamela; Hassan, Sharif (18 August 2019). "Islamic State claims suicide attack on Kabul wedding that killed 63". The Washington Post. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  7. "Bomb kills 63 at wedding in Kabul". BBC News. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  8. "Wedding bombing: Afghanistan postpones 100th Independence Day celebrations". Indo-Asian News Service. 19 August 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019 – via Khaleej Times.
  9. "Death toll from weekend Kabul wedding attack now 80". Agence France-Presse. 21 August 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019 – via The Straits Times.
  10. "Kabul blast in "Dubai City" wedding hall: 63 killed, 182 wounded". Gulf News. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  11. Gul, Ayaz (18 August 2019). "Suicide Bombing of Wedding Party in Kabul Killed 63". Voice of America. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  12. "Fears of many deaths after bomb explodes at Kabul wedding". Radio New Zealand. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  13. Mengli, Ahmed; Yusufzai, Mushtaq; Talmazan, Yuliya (18 August 2019). "'The suffering will continue': Groom mourns 63 killed at Afghan wedding amid U.S. withdrawal talks". NBC News. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  14. Prokos, Hayley (17 August 2019). "Possibly Hundreds Caught In Blast Inside Wedding Hall In Kabul". Newsweek. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  15. Mashal, Mujib; Faizi, Fatima; Abed, Fahim (18 August 2019). "One Minute It Was an Afghan Wedding. The Next, a Funeral for 63". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  16. Faiez, Rahim; Anna, Cara (18 August 2019). "Islamic State claims bombing at Kabul wedding that killed 63". Associated Press. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  17. "Afghanistan: Scores killed in Kabul wedding blast". Al Jazeera. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  18. "ISIS claims Afghan wedding suicide blast that killed 63". Reuters. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019 – via The Jerusalem Post.
  19. "Kabul wedding blast: Groom has 'lost hope' after deadly attack". BBC News. 19 August 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  20. "Islamic State claims responsibility for bombing at Kabul wedding that killed 63". CBS News. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  21. "Taliban reacts to deadly Kabul wedding hall bombing which killed at least 63". Khaama Press. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  22. "Afghan president says Taliban can't escape blame for deadly bombing". Reuters. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  23. Ghani, Ashraf [@ashrafghani] (17 August 2019). "Taliban cannot absolve themselves of blame, for they provide platform for terrorists. Today is the day of mourning, hence #StateBuilder have cancelled today's gathering at the Loya Jirga tent" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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