KABUL, Oct 16: Afghanistan’s intelligence agency has alleged that the man behind a foiled suicide bombing in Kabul on Monday had been trained in an area of Pakistan.

The National Directorate of Security (NDS) had been tipped off about the attack and cornered the car carrying the bomb before it exploded, wounding three people.

NDS spokesman Sayed Ansari told reporters that the agency had intelligence that the would-be attacker was among four who had entered Afghanistan from the North Waziristan tribal area in Pakistan.

They had been in an area under the control of a Taliban leader named Sadiq Noor, Ansari said.

“The information provided to NDS by its sources was that four suicide attackers were trained in North Waziristan in Darpakhail and Noorali areas by Sadiq Noor’s group,” he said.

The Pakistan government last month agreed to a ceasefire with tribal leaders in North Waziristan that resulted in the military downscaling its presence.

Afghan analysts warned the deal could see an increase in infiltration of militants alleged to be carrying out insurgent attacks in Afghanistan.

“The terms of the ceasefire was non-interference in Afghanistan and no attack on the Pakistani army,” Ansari said. “Unfortunately one side of the agreement is implemented but the other side - against Afghan people - hasn’t (been),” he said.

Ansari alleged the four men said to have been trained in North Waziristan had crossed into Afghanistan.

One had been arrested two days ago in the eastern province of Khost, which borders North Waziristan.

“It is possible one of the two (remaining) may be in Khost and one in Kabul. We ask our compatriots if they come across any suspicious person or car, they contact the nearest security organ,” he said.—AFP

Opinion

Editorial

IMF’s unease
Updated 24 May, 2024

IMF’s unease

It is clear that the next phase of economic stabilisation will be very tough for most of the population.
Belated recognition
24 May, 2024

Belated recognition

WITH Wednesday’s announcement by three European states that they intend to recognise Palestine as a state later...
App for GBV survivors
24 May, 2024

App for GBV survivors

GENDER-based violence is caught between two worlds: one sees it as a crime, the other as ‘convention’. The ...
Energy inflation
Updated 23 May, 2024

Energy inflation

The widening gap between the haves and have-nots is already tearing apart Pakistan’s social fabric.
Culture of violence
23 May, 2024

Culture of violence

WHILE political differences are part of the democratic process, there can be no justification for such disagreements...
Flooding threats
23 May, 2024

Flooding threats

WITH temperatures in GB and KP forecasted to be four to six degrees higher than normal this week, the threat of...