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Mounting Criticism Leveled Against Security Agencies After Attack

Members of the public have slammed security agencies for not having prevented Saturday’s deadly ambulance bombing which killed at least 103 people in Kabul city. 

However, Minister of Interior Wais Ahmad Barmak said police had not been negligent in their duties and had stopped the vehicle at the checkpoint. 

Barmake said two ambulances had driven through the checkpoint – one escorting the other. 

According to him, policemen at the first checkpoint said they had allowed the ambulance through the checkpoint after being told they were taking a patient to the nearby Jamhuriat hospital. 

One policeman, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they had stopped the ambulances. 

“I asked to open the window and they (insurgents) said that we have a patient, then we saw the patient there, because we do not allow ambulances in without a patient,” said the police officer.

This comes a day after a deadly ambulance suicide bomber detonated his explosives in a busy party of Kabul city. 

Policemen who survived the explosion said some insurgents had been disguised as patients. 

According to him, there were “two patients”. 

Meanwhile, Barmak said a second ambulance had escorted the first one but had left the scene soon after the other explosive-laden vehicle parked in the hospital parking area - for about 20 minutes. 

“Both vehicles entered the area and stopped in the parking area of Jamhuriat hospital, then the first vehicle left the area. The second one came out of the area and the second vehicle which was loaded with a bomb came out after a 20-minute gap and then the explosion happened,” said Barmak. 

“We saw very horrific scenes, body parties thrown on the streets,” said  Shafiq, an employee of Kabul municipality. 

Najib Herawi is another eye witness whose home is only meters from the blast site. But luck had been on his side as he and his family survived. 

“The infiltration of a vehicle full of explosives raises a lot of questions. People are very tired of this situation, if they can’t handle it, they must leave it,” said Herawi, witness of the attack. 

“These suicide attackers are not coming from the sky, they are using the same streets of Kabul,” said a resident of Kabul Nawroz. 

“My mother asked me to keep my head down, I was shivering when the explosion happened,” said Hadis, Herawi’s daughter.

“Terrorist organizations are infiltrating Kabul from Pakistan and are using “our intelligence shortcomings’, said military analyst Jawed Kohestani. 

“They (police) are not searching a car with explosives thoroughly,” said Aziz Ahmad, an eye witness.

The attack has also resulted in massive financial losses for the people.  

Security agencies reportedly arrested two suspects from the area who tried to disguise themselves as patients. Two other suspects who allegedly helped the attacker enter the area were arrested in Pul-e-Charkhi area of the city. 

Mounting Criticism Leveled Against Security Agencies After Attack

Interior minister meanwhile says two ambulances had been involved – one ambulance escorted the other to the scene before leaving the area. 

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Members of the public have slammed security agencies for not having prevented Saturday’s deadly ambulance bombing which killed at least 103 people in Kabul city. 

However, Minister of Interior Wais Ahmad Barmak said police had not been negligent in their duties and had stopped the vehicle at the checkpoint. 

Barmake said two ambulances had driven through the checkpoint – one escorting the other. 

According to him, policemen at the first checkpoint said they had allowed the ambulance through the checkpoint after being told they were taking a patient to the nearby Jamhuriat hospital. 

One policeman, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they had stopped the ambulances. 

“I asked to open the window and they (insurgents) said that we have a patient, then we saw the patient there, because we do not allow ambulances in without a patient,” said the police officer.

This comes a day after a deadly ambulance suicide bomber detonated his explosives in a busy party of Kabul city. 

Policemen who survived the explosion said some insurgents had been disguised as patients. 

According to him, there were “two patients”. 

Meanwhile, Barmak said a second ambulance had escorted the first one but had left the scene soon after the other explosive-laden vehicle parked in the hospital parking area - for about 20 minutes. 

“Both vehicles entered the area and stopped in the parking area of Jamhuriat hospital, then the first vehicle left the area. The second one came out of the area and the second vehicle which was loaded with a bomb came out after a 20-minute gap and then the explosion happened,” said Barmak. 

“We saw very horrific scenes, body parties thrown on the streets,” said  Shafiq, an employee of Kabul municipality. 

Najib Herawi is another eye witness whose home is only meters from the blast site. But luck had been on his side as he and his family survived. 

“The infiltration of a vehicle full of explosives raises a lot of questions. People are very tired of this situation, if they can’t handle it, they must leave it,” said Herawi, witness of the attack. 

“These suicide attackers are not coming from the sky, they are using the same streets of Kabul,” said a resident of Kabul Nawroz. 

“My mother asked me to keep my head down, I was shivering when the explosion happened,” said Hadis, Herawi’s daughter.

“Terrorist organizations are infiltrating Kabul from Pakistan and are using “our intelligence shortcomings’, said military analyst Jawed Kohestani. 

“They (police) are not searching a car with explosives thoroughly,” said Aziz Ahmad, an eye witness.

The attack has also resulted in massive financial losses for the people.  

Security agencies reportedly arrested two suspects from the area who tried to disguise themselves as patients. Two other suspects who allegedly helped the attacker enter the area were arrested in Pul-e-Charkhi area of the city. 

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