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2008: Bombing of India Embassy in Kabul

From , former About.com Guide

In Brief:

The Indian Embassy in Kabul was attacked by suicide bombing in the summer of 2008. The attack killed 60 people. The attack was notable for accusations that followed immediately that Pakistan's intelligence agency, the Interservices Intelligence, had a hand in the attack.

Tactic / Type:

Suicide Bombing / Car Bombing

Where:

Indian Embassy, Kabul, Afghanistan

When:

July 7, 2008

The Full Story:

Business as usual at the Indian Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan was interrupted on Monday, July 7, 2008, when around 8:30 in the morning,an attacker drove a Toyota into a car parked outside the embassy. He then exploded an IED inside his own car, destroying both cars and the wall of the embassy compound. An Indian defense attaché and a diplomat were among the 60 killed, but the majority of casualties were Afghan citizens in line for visas. One local resident described the attack: "We heard an explosion, then the dust and glass hit our faces….After that we saw that people were dead and lying everywhere."

There was widespread suspicion following the attack that Pakistan, or Pakistan's intelligence service, was behind the attack. India and Pakistan, who are rivals and have gone to war three times in the past half-century. India has drawn closer to Afghanistan in recent years, both by participating in reconstruction projects and through military cooperation; the Indian army has offered some counterinsurgency training to Afghan military.

The private intelligence service Stratfor made the case that the Taliban were the likely culprits, partly because a non-Afghan in Kabul would be noticed and because suicide operations tend to be the work of either the Taliban or Al Qaeda.

The attack was perceived as throwing ongoing peace talks between India and Pakistan off track.

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