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Lashkar-i-Taiba denies Kabul attacks
 [Dawn] Militant group Lashkar-i-Taiba denied Thursday it was behind a coordinated attack in Kabul last week that killed 16 people, including seven Indians.The group, blamed by India for the siege in Mumbai in November 2008 that left 166 people dead, said it was not active in Afghanistan, in a call to AFP's office in Srinagar. "We are not involved in any actions in Suicide bombers targeted guesthouses in central Kabul last Friday, killing 16 people in one of the deadliest attacks on foreigners in the Afghan capital. India's Foreign Minister S M Krishna said last week the attack was the third on "Indian officials and interests in Afghanistan in the past 20 months" and strongly condemned it. However, the US special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke said Wednesday that India was not the target of the attacks, noting that other foreigners also died. He warned against a "jump to conclusions" without substantial proof. A senior Indian government official said however it was clear that Indians had been targeted. "To say Indians were not targeted is not borne out by the facts," the source told AFP on condition of anonymity. "These places (the guest houses attacked) house Indian visitors." India has been heavily involved in reconstruction and aid efforts in Afghanistan, extending more than one billion dollars in help since the fall of the Taliban regime in November 2001. New Delhi suspects Pakistan of funding anti-India militants and has consistently called on Pakistan to crack down on Lashkar-i-Taiba (LT). Analysts say India and Pakistan are locked in a struggle for influence in Afghanistan, which is fuelling attacks on Indian interests there. India pointed the finger at Pakistan for blasts at its embassy in Kabul in 2008 and 2009, but has so far refrained from blaming its neighbour for Friday's attacks. Posted by: Fred 2010-03-05 |
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