Hamid Karzai escapes assassination attempt
Taliban militants made a failed attempt to kill Afghan President Hamid Karzai with a rocket attack on Sunday, narrowly missing a building where he was giving a speech, the Taliban and government spokesmen said.
Karzai was giving a speech to the residents of Andar district in Ghazni province when rockets were fired nearby, said Ali Shah Ahmadzai, provincial police chief. Arif Yaqoubi, a local reporter, said six rockets were fired nearby as Karzai was delivering the speech. He briefly stopped his speech. People were concerned and worried, Yaqoubi said. But then Karzai continued by saying, calm down and dont worry, he added.
Purported Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi said Taliban militants were behind the attack. The Taliban knew that Karzai was coming to Andar district and fired 12 rockets while he was meeting people, Ahmadi told the AP.
Posted by: Fred 2007-06-11 |