16 Afghans dead, 58 Afghans wounded in Khowst province suicide attack Dec. 28

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

12.29.2008

Courtesy Story

U.S. Forces Afghanistan

By U.S. Forces Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan – One of Public Affairs' primary responsibilities is to ensure factual reporting of events to the public and to counter enemy propaganda.

Dec. 28, Zabihollah Mojahed, a Taliban spokesperson, reported a martyrdom attack carried out in Khowst province. Mojahed claimed the attack killed 20 foreign soldiers, wounded dozens and destroyed an unknown number of tanks.

The true result of this indiscriminate act of murder was 16 Afghans killed, including 14 children and one Afghan national army soldier, and 58 Afghans wounded.

The surveillance video, released to the media Dec. 28 by International Security Assistance Force Public Affairs, clearly shows the children in full view of the suicide bomber. The bomber could have waited for the children to leave the area, but he decided to detonate his bombs and kill the children. The video is available upon request.

"The bombing in Khowst demonstrates, once again, that the insurgents are a cancer to the Afghan people," said Col. Jerry O'Hara, U.S. Forces Afghanistan spokesperson. "It is tragic for enemies to declare themselves martyrs after killing innocent children. There was no martyr here. A real martyr would have taken a bullet to save those children."

• Date Taken: 12.29.2008
• Date Posted: 12.29.2008 02:40
• Story ID: 28227
• Location: KABUL, AF