body in its October report said that of the 525 civilian deaths and 1,175 injuries in the first three-quarters of this year, 29% of the casualties were caused by improvised explosive devices. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), in a statement Wednesday, warned about an increase in target killings “at a deeply disturbing rate.” The progress in negotiations comes as the U.N. With both sides reaching an agreement on the rules of conduct for the talks, they are expected to work on a permanent cease-fire and political arrangement. He blamed the Taliban for targeting civilians to “inflict fear” and “use it as leverage in the peace talks.”Ī second round of negotiations between the Afghan government and Taliban is expected to start January 5.

Rahmatullah Andar, a spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Security Council, however, defended his government as doing “its utmost” in dealing with the situation. The government of Ashraf Ghani, he added, has failed to ensure the security of 4.3 million Kabul residents as the city seems to fall more into violence. “I take different routes and avoid the traffic in the city, but, like other members of the civil society, I cannot afford having armored vehicles or bodyguards for my protection. Mesbah, who regularly appears on media outlets as a political analyst, said he now takes precautionary measures such as inspecting his car before driving because he might be a target of violence for his public appearances.

Some officials say the tactic helps the attackers hurt high-profile Afghans without drawing much attention.įILE - An Afghan security officer stands guard at the site of a bomb blast in Kabul, Dec. The bombing in recent weeks has targeted politicians, security officials, human rights activists and journalists. “I have the fear that someone might attach a sticky bomb to my car or shoot me.” “Every time that I go out, I am worried that something might happen to me,” said Subhan Mesbah, the deputy head of the Lawyers Association of Afghanistan.

A day earlier, a magnetic or sticky bomb explosion killed at least five people, including four doctors. An apparent rise in “sticky bomb” attacks against Afghan officials and other high-profile targets has some dreading car journeys in Kabul, with some activists saying the violence, conducted through fixing magnetic explosives to vehicles, is the latest tactic by militant groups to further destabilize the country.Īt least one police officer was killed and two more were wounded Wednesday in an explosion caused by a bomb attached to their vehicle.

New sticky bomb