| May 2010 Kabul bombing | |
|---|---|
| Part of theTaliban insurgency | |
  Kabul Kabul (Afghanistan) | |
| Location | Kabul,Afghanistan |
| Date | May 18, 2010 |
| Target | NATO convoy |
Attack type | Suicidecar bombing |
| Deaths | 18 |
| Injured | 52 |
| Perpetrator |  Taliban |
TheMay 2010 Kabul bombing occurred on May 18, 2010, inKabul,Afghanistan. Eighteen people, including five US soldiers and a Canadian soldier, were killed and 52 were injured when aNATO convoy was targeted by aTalibansuicide attacker.[1] It was the deadliest attack against NATO forces in Afghanistan since September 2009, when six Italian soldiers were killed by a suicide bomber.[2][3] Two full colonels and two lieutenant colonels were killed in the attack, making it the deadliest attack against rankingofficers in Afghanistan.[4] With the attack, the total number of Americans killed in Afghanistan crossed one thousand.[5]
PresidentHamid Karzai had recently returned from a trip to US to gather support for his policy to promote peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. Ajirga was planned to discuss methods to promote peace with the tribal elders. A military offensive was also being planned in theKandahar Province. Shortly before this attack, the Taliban had announced 'Operation al-Fatah', which would target NATO forces, foreign diplomats, contractors and Afghan government.[3] Afghan police had set up several extra security checkpoints this year. In spite of these measures, the bomber was able to drive his vehicle into the city.[1]
| Country | Number |
|---|---|
 Afghanistan | 12 |
 United States | 5 |
 Canada | 1 |
| Total | 18 |
The bomber, driving aToyota minivan packed with more than 1600 pounds of explosives, drove into a convoy of American military vehicles moving down the Dar-ul-Aman road at about8 a.m. local time and exploded.[6] The blast created a deep crater in the road near the ruinedDarul Aman Palace.[7] The bombing happened during rush hour near theNational Assembly of Afghanistan. The blast destroyed 5 US military vehicles and 13 civilian vehicles.[8] Most of the dead were Afghan civilians including women and children in a public bus which was driving past when the explosion happened.[9] Five US soldiers were among the dead. The dead Canadian soldier was identified asColonel Geoff Parker, originally fromOakville, Ontario. He is the highest-ranked Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan.[2][10] An American colonel, two American lieutenant colonels, one Staff Sergeant and one Sergeant.[11] The American officers were identified as colonel John M. McHugh, 46, from New Jersey, and lieutenant colonels, Paul R. Bartz, 43, ofWaterloo, Wisconsin, and Thomas P. Belkofer, 44, ofPerrysburg, Ohio.[4] Staff Sergeant Richard J. Tieman, of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, and Sergeant Joshua Tomlinson of Dubberly, Louisiana, were also killed.
TheTaliban took responsibility for the attack.[7] They stated that they had sent a man named Nizamuddin to carry out the attack. Several analysts believe that the attack reflected Taliban opposition to the upcoming peacejirga proposed by PresidentHamid Karzai.[12] According to Afghanistan's spy agency, the attack was allegedly carried out by Pakistan's spy agencyInter-Services Intelligence. Saeed Ansari, a spokesman for National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan's spy agency stated that 'All the explosions and terrorist attacks by these people were plotted from the other side of the border and most of the explosives and materials used for the attacks were brought from the other side to Afghanistan.'[11] According to US military intelligence officials, theHaqqani network, based inPakistan, was also involved in the attack.[13]
The attack drew strong condemnation fromAnders Fogh Rasmussen, theSecretary General of NATO.[2] Prime MinisterStephen Harper of Canada condemned the attack and mourned Parker, calling him a "great Canadian who will be greatly missed by the Canadian Forces family and his community."[14]
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