Suicide bomber kills 22, wounds 40 at Afghan wedding

[randolph85]

http://news.yahoo.com/suicide-bomber-kills-22-afghan-wedding-052257012.html

MAZAR-E-SHARIF, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A suicide bomber blew himself up at a wedding reception in northern Afghanistan on Saturday, killing at least 22 people including a prominent politician, and wounding 40 others, police said.
The death toll makes Saturday's attack one of the most lethal in the country for months. Influential Afghan lawmaker Ahmad Khan Samangani, who hosted the party, was among those killed, provincial governor Khairullah Anosh said.
"It was Ahmad Khan Samangani's daughter's wedding. A suicide bomber blew himself up, killing and wounding dozens," Anosh told Reuters.
The Taliban denied responsibility for the attack.
"We don't have a hand in this issue," spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said. "Ahmad Khan (Samangani) was a former commander of the mujahideen, he was notorious and many people could have had problems with him."
Samangani, a powerful political figure from Samangan province, was also a former mujahideen chief who fought against the Soviets in the 1980s, and against the Taliban during their 1996-2001 rule.
Afghans in some parts of northern Afghanistan, which is relatively peaceful compared with volatile southern and eastern parts of the country, hold ceremonies early in the morning.
Civilians bear the brunt of the violence in Afghanistan, which is at its worst since the Islamist Taliban government was toppled by U.S.-led Afghan forces more than a decade ago.
Taliban insurgents fighting against President Hamid Karzai's Western-backed government have carried out dozens of suicide attacks this year.
(Reporting by Bashir Ahmad in Mazar-e-Sharif; Writing by Hamid Shalizi; Editing by Daniel Magnowski)

[Friend]

Another bloodshed of innocents. May Allah keep them safe

[Afghanistan2010]

Provincial intelligence chief Mohammad Khan was among those killed at the celebration attended by other high-ranking government officials.

The attacker embraced MP Ahmad Khan, a former militia commander, in front of wedding guests before detonating the explosives strapped around his waist, a security forces spokesman said.

The attacker apparently disguised himself as a guest and blew himself up at the entrance of the hall, where high-ranking local officials were welcoming guests.

The Taliban, which has been behind a series of suicide attacks this year, denied responsibility. The group often distances itself from attacks with high civilian death tolls.

"We don't have a hand in this," spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said. "Ahmad Khan (Samangani) was a former commander of the mujahideen, he was notorious and many people could have had problems with him."

[Hakim Khan Urgonai]

I hate suicide and suicide bombing.

[khushal]

This guy ordered the torturing of pashtuns, he is responsible for this.

[badmash_khel]

This guy ordered the torturing of pashtuns, he is responsible for this.

Are you talking about Ahmad Samangani? If so then you are wrong about him.

He has plenty of Pashtun supporters in the North. Politics are not strictly based on ethnicity. Massoud had many pashtun commanders and supporters. Gulbuddin has plenty of Tajik commanders and supporters. Its not about ethnicity but more about personal relations and locality.

Almost half the people invited to this wedding were Pashtuns. Sure he might have done some unsavoury things in the past but I doubt he was bent on revenge against the pashtuns. Its more likely that he had a personal grudge against somebody or wronged somebody.

BTW, that guy in the pictures is a Talib. All is fair in love and war.

[khushal]

Are you talking about Ahmad Samangani? If so then you are wrong about him.

He has plenty of Pashtun supporters in the North. Politics are not strictly based on ethnicity. Massoud had many pashtun commanders and supporters. Gulbuddin has plenty of Tajik commanders and supporters. Its not about ethnicity but more about personal relations and locality.

Almost half the people invited to this wedding were Pashtuns. Sure he might have done some unsavoury things in the past but I doubt he was bent on revenge against the pashtuns. Its more likely that he had a personal grudge against somebody or wronged somebody.

BTW, that guy in the pictures is a Talib. All is fair in love and war.

I don't know why you are saying the first part since I never claimed anything of the sort but as far as your last sentence is concerned, torturing is never fair in love or war.
He was a leading commander of Dostoms militia who tortured pashtuns, He was accused of putting pashtuns in containers so they can die of dehydration in the sun. Since 2001 his forces have been clashing with mohammad atta over drug routes and other economic and security assets. There was also a assassination attempt on his life in 2007 who he accused Dostom of being the architect. In the 2010 parliamentary elections he was disqualified on the grounds of fraud.

All these assassinations that are occurring is designed to bring instabilty to the country. This particular one has created a power vacuum in the north which most likely dostom and Atta will struggle for, further creating chaos and more expense to US taxpayers.

[RevolutionThroughReason]

I don't know why you are saying the first part since I never claimed anything of the sort but as far as your last sentence is concerned, torturing is never fair in love or war.
He was a leading commander of Dostoms militia who tortured pashtuns, He was accused of putting pashtuns in containers so they can die of dehydration in the sun. Since 2001 his forces have been clashing with mohammad atta over drug routes and other economic and security assets. There was also a assassination attempt on his life in 2007 who he accused Dostom of being the architect. In the 2010 parliamentary elections he was disqualified on the grounds of fraud.

All these assassinations that are occurring is designed to bring instabilty to the country. This particular one has created a power vacuum in the north which most likely dostom and Atta will struggle for, further creating chaos and more expense to US taxpayers.

Just because a person is Pashtun , doesn't give them a free ride from the consequences of criminal behavior. Those Taliban were involved in much cruelty and tyranny against ALL People of Afghanistan, including OTHER Pashtuns. I disagree with this kind of vigilante style justice but from the debates and arguments you relay on here, you yourself seem to be an advocate of this "Pashtuns are above the law" psychology. These men choose to support tyranny, and thus tyranny was shown to them. That's the consequence of brutal regimes.


If Taliban can shoot women while they're seated in cars, with fluffed up accusations and charges how do they expected to be treated during battle?

[Tjanaparh]

Didn't do Talibs the same that You can see on the picture?

[Admin Khan]

I heard Dostum is behind this one.

[Afghanistan2010]

maybe it wasn't a suicide but a bomb was used.

[khushal]

Didn't do Talibs the same that You can see on the picture?

when was this?

[khushal]

Just because a person is Pashtun , doesn't give them a free ride from the consequences of criminal behavior. Those Taliban were involved in much cruelty and tyranny against ALL People of Afghanistan, including OTHER Pashtuns. I disagree with this kind of vigilante style justice but from the debates and arguments you relay on here, you yourself seem to be an advocate of this "Pashtuns are above the law" psychology. These men choose to support tyranny, and thus tyranny was shown to them. That's the consequence of brutal regimes.


If Taliban can shoot women while they're seated in cars, with fluffed up accusations and charges how do they expected to be treated during battle?

nonsense red herring coming from you all the time.

So by your logic the people that were killed at this wedding were shown tyranny because those people that were killed at this wedding practiced it.

[khushal]

I heard Dostum is behind this one.

We dont really know that it was a suicide bomb, but things like these cant happen without inside help. how did this alleged suicide bomber make it pass security. These people have many enemies both inside their circle and outside. They are playing a very dangerous game with very dangerous people.

[RevolutionThroughReason]

nonsense red herring coming from you all the time.

So by your logic the people that were killed at this wedding were shown tyranny because those people that were killed at this wedding practiced it.

No, The Taliban was executed in such barbaric way because he practiced it. The people at this wedding were just killed because Taliban are hateful and corrupt. Do you even understand what a red herring is? It's pathetic how you use logical arguments incorrectly; this is a perfect case of that.