The 2007 Baghlan sugar factory bombing occurred on November 6, 2007, when a bomb exploded in the centre of Baghlan, Afghanistan, while a delegation of parliamentarians was visiting, killing at least 72 people including several lawmakers.[1]
A ceremony was being held to re-open a sugar factory as part of a plan to improve and build the economy in the northeastern Baghlan province. Large groups of people, including children and elderly people were lined up to assist in the inauguration of the facility. It is widely believed that the blast was caused by a bomb full of ball-bearings. It is unlikely that a suicide attacker could cause such a massive carnage.
FatalitiesEdit
At least 75 people were killed or wounded severely in the massive bombing; the Associated Press reports that 64 were killed while a hospital in Baghlan mentioned that 90 bodies were sent to the hospital with 50 others wounded. An Afghan television station reported that at least 100 were killed.[2]
Six members of the Afghan parliament were killed in the blast, including key opposition figures. The lawmakers killed in the bombing were former Commerce Minister Sayed Mustafa Kazemi, the prominent private sector representative Hajji Muhammad Arif Zarif, as well as Abdul Mateen, Al Hajj Sahib Abdul-Rahman, Nazuk Mir Sarfaraz and Sebghatullah Zaki. All six were members of the ten-member Economics Committee of the National Assembly.[3]
It was reported that police officers, children and members of the Department of Agriculture were also killed. Other MPs were said to have been injured.[4][5]
ResponsibilityEdit
There was no claim of responsibility for the blast but there were about 120 suicide attacks in Afghanistan in 2007, most of them blamed on the Taliban movement. A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry blamed the attack on "the enemy of Afghanistan, the enemy of the people of Afghanistan" referring to the militant group. Following the bombing, a Taliban official dismissed any responsibility of the group for the incident. The attacks have worsened since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.[2][6]
One person was arrested and questioned the following day. According to the BBC, several claims told that it was not a suicide attack and that it was possible a roadside bomb or a rocket attack.[7]
On the same day as the Baghlan bombings, Taliban rockets were fired at an Afghan base near Kandahar during a visit by Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay, injuring several soldiers. That incident was likely unrelated to the Baghlan bombing.[8]
Afghan president Hamid Karzai had immediately condemned the attacks in a statement: "This heinous act of terrorism is against Islam and humanity and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms. It is the work of the enemies of peace and security in Afghanistan". He announced three days of national mourning[4][5][9]
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said on Wednesday that targeting innocent people and members of the Afghan Parliament run counter to the Islamic teachings and human values.[citation needed]
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay met with Karzai on November 7 to discuss about the ongoing deterioration of the situation. MacKay commented: "Yes, this is an undeniable tragedy and one that has shocked many. And yet this is not going to deter the Afghan people on their road to a stable, democratic, fully functioning society."[10]
In a statement issued on the same day United States President George W. Bush called the act as "despicable act of cowardice" that "reminds us who the enemy is—extremists with evil in their hearts" and added that the White House will be committed on working with the government of Afghanistan and NATO allies to fight the terrorists who use murder to advance their hateful ideology" [11]
Mustafa Kazemi and hundreds of children Sacrificed by Fascism
October 23, 2023
2007, baghlan, sugar, factory, bombing, baghlan, provincelocationbaghlan, afghanistandatenovember, 2007targetmembers, parliamentattack, typesuicide, attackdeaths72, perpetratorstaliban, islamic, party, mullah, gulbuddin, hekmatyar, independent, jihadists, susp. 36 07 55 N 68 42 00 E 36 132 N 68 7 E 36 132 68 7 2007 Baghlan sugar factory bombingBaghlan provinceLocationBaghlan AfghanistanDateNovember 6 2007TargetMembers of ParliamentAttack typeSuicide attackDeaths72 1 PerpetratorsTaliban Islamic Party of Mullah Gulbuddin Hekmatyar or independent jihadists all suspected The 2007 Baghlan sugar factory bombing occurred on November 6 2007 when a bomb exploded in the centre of Baghlan Afghanistan while a delegation of parliamentarians was visiting killing at least 72 people including several lawmakers 1 Contents 1 The event 2 Fatalities 3 Responsibility 4 Reactions 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksThe event EditA ceremony was being held to re open a sugar factory as part of a plan to improve and build the economy in the northeastern Baghlan province Large groups of people including children and elderly people were lined up to assist in the inauguration of the facility It is widely believed that the blast was caused by a bomb full of ball bearings It is unlikely that a suicide attacker could cause such a massive carnage Fatalities EditAt least 75 people were killed or wounded severely in the massive bombing the Associated Press reports that 64 were killed while a hospital in Baghlan mentioned that 90 bodies were sent to the hospital with 50 others wounded An Afghan television station reported that at least 100 were killed 2 Six members of the Afghan parliament were killed in the blast including key opposition figures The lawmakers killed in the bombing were former Commerce Minister Sayed Mustafa Kazemi the prominent private sector representative Hajji Muhammad Arif Zarif as well as Abdul Mateen Al Hajj Sahib Abdul Rahman Nazuk Mir Sarfaraz and Sebghatullah Zaki All six were members of the ten member Economics Committee of the National Assembly 3 It was reported that police officers children and members of the Department of Agriculture were also killed Other MPs were said to have been injured 4 5 Responsibility EditThere was no claim of responsibility for the blast but there were about 120 suicide attacks in Afghanistan in 2007 most of them blamed on the Taliban movement A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry blamed the attack on the enemy of Afghanistan the enemy of the people of Afghanistan referring to the militant group Following the bombing a Taliban official dismissed any responsibility of the group for the incident The attacks have worsened since the fall of the Taliban in 2001 2 6 One person was arrested and questioned the following day According to the BBC several claims told that it was not a suicide attack and that it was possible a roadside bomb or a rocket attack 7 On the same day as the Baghlan bombings Taliban rockets were fired at an Afghan base near Kandahar during a visit by Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay injuring several soldiers That incident was likely unrelated to the Baghlan bombing 8 Reactions EditTaliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the Baghlan explosion was not conducted by the Taliban citation needed Afghan president Hamid Karzai had immediately condemned the attacks in a statement This heinous act of terrorism is against Islam and humanity and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms It is the work of the enemies of peace and security in Afghanistan He announced three days of national mourning 4 5 9 Iran s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said on Wednesday that targeting innocent people and members of the Afghan Parliament run counter to the Islamic teachings and human values citation needed Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay met with Karzai on November 7 to discuss about the ongoing deterioration of the situation MacKay commented Yes this is an undeniable tragedy and one that has shocked many And yet this is not going to deter the Afghan people on their road to a stable democratic fully functioning society 10 In a statement issued on the same day United States President George W Bush called the act as despicable act of cowardice that reminds us who the enemy is extremists with evil in their hearts and added that the White House will be committed on working with the government of Afghanistan and NATO allies to fight the terrorists who use murder to advance their hateful ideology 11 See also EditWar in Afghanistan 2001 present List of terrorist incidentsReferences Edit a b Barker Kim 12 November 2008 Prison refrain I wasn t Taliban but I am now chicagotribune com a b CTV ca Bombs targeting Afghan lawmakers kill dozens BMO SME Projects Afghanistan Archived June 30 2014 at the Wayback Machine a b BBC NEWS South Asia Afghan suicide blast kills 40 a b Lawmakers among Afghan bomb dead CNN com Al Jazeera English News Bomber Targets Afghan Mps Archived 2007 11 07 at the Wayback Machine BBC NEWS South Asia Afghanistan holds funeral for MPs CTV ca MacKay unhurt in rocket attack on Afghan base Al Jazeera English News Afghanistan Mourns Bomb Victims CTV ca MacKay says Karzai optimistic in face of attacks Karzai 41 killed in suicide blast CNN comExternal links EditMustafa Kazemi and hundreds of children Sacrificed by Fascism Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 2007 Baghlan sugar factory bombing amp oldid 1147636247, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
