GARDEZ: Two separate suicide and gun attacks on police and soldiers in Afghanistan left at least 71 dead and nearly 170 wounded on Tuesday in the latest devastating assaults on beleaguered security forces.

The Taliban claimed the more deadly of the two assaults, a coordinated attack on police in the southeastern city of Gardez in Paktia province.

That assault killed 41 people and injured 158, according to the interior ministry, and left hospital officials calling for blood donations. There were desperate scenes as relatives queued for news of loved ones after the hours-long battle.

Gen Bajwa, Foreign Office condemn Gardez attack

A separate ambush blamed on the Taliban in the neighbouring province of Ghazni killed 25 security officials and five civilians with 10 wounded, the interior ministry said.

Afghanistan’s army and police, on the front line against the Taliban since foreign combat forces pulled back in December 2014, have suffered shocking casualties over the past year. Their ranks are beset by corruption and desertion.

“The hospital is overwhelmed and we call on people to donate blood,” said Shir Mohammad Karimi, deputy health director in Gardez, who put the number of wounded there at more than 200.

Doctors and nurses rushed to attend to the wounded women, children and police filling the corridors where some bodies also lay. Outside, university students formed a queue to donate blood, an AFP photographer said.

The attack, claimed by the Taliban in a tweet, began when two suicide bombers driving an explosives-laden truck and a Humvee blew them up near the training centre, which is close to the Paktia police headquarters.

The blasts flattened a building and enabled gunmen to force their way inside the compound, according to officials and the interior ministry.

The battle between the attackers, armed with guns and suicide vests, and security forces lasted around five hours before it ended with all five militants killed, officials said.

Photos posted on Twitter showed two large plumes of smoke rising above the city.

The second attack, in Ghazni some 100 kilometres west of Gardez, followed a similar pattern involving insurgents detonating an explosives-laden Humvee near a police headquarters then storming the building, Haref Noori, the Ghazni governor’s spokesman, told AFP.

“Dozens of Taliban” were killed in the attack, Ghazni police chief Mohammad Zaman said.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attacks and praised the “bravery and sacrifice” of security forces.

Afghans our brothers: COAS

Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa condemned the attacks and expressed grief on the loss of innocent lives and injuries.

“Afghans are our brave brothers fighting against terrorism with great resolve. Through coordination and co­­operation both countries shall defeat the common enemy for enduring peace and stability in the region,” he said, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations.

The Foreign Office also condemned the attack. “We are deeply saddened and grieved at the loss of precious lives in the dastardly attack. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones in this brutal terrorist attack and to the government and the people of Afghanistan,” a spokesman for the Foreign Office said in a statement.

He said Pakistan reiterated its unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all forms and manifestations and reaffirmed its commitment for continued efforts and cooperation for eliminating the menace of terrorism.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2017