:May 2010 Kabul bombing

President Hamid Karzai had recently returned from a trip to US to gather support for his policy to promote peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. A jirga was planned to discuss methods to promote peace with the tribal elders. A military offensive was also being planned in the Kandahar Province. Shortly before this attack, the Taliban had announced 'Operation al-Fatah', which would target NATO forces, foreign diplomats, contractors and Afghan government. 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.

The bomber, driving a Toyota 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 about {{Nowrap|8 a.m.}} local time and exploded.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/19/world/asia/19afghan.html |title=Suicide Bomber Hits U.S. Convoy in Afghanistan |last=Filkins |first=Dexter |date=May 18, 2010 |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 18, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-date=May 22, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100522023204/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/19/world/asia/19afghan.html }} The blast created a deep crater in the road near the ruined Darul Aman Palace. The bombing happened during rush hour near the National Assembly of Afghanistan. The blast destroyed 5 US military vehicles and 13 civilian vehicles.{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/05/18/afghan.blast/?hpt=T2 |title=Five Americans among 18 killed in Afghan suicide attack |date=May 18, 2010 |agency=CNN |access-date=May 18, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-date=May 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100518101259/http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/05/18/afghan.blast/?hpt=T2 }} Most of the dead were Afghan civilians including women and children in a public bus which was driving past when the explosion happened.{{cite news|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jSme1oMMNwQgjt3wASG_RQsp7AGg|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130124180741/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jSme1oMMNwQgjt3wASG_RQsp7AGg|archive-date=January 24, 2013|title=Taliban suicide attack on NATO kills 18 in Kabul|last=Ahmed|first=Sardar|date=May 18, 2010|agency=Agence France-Presse|access-date=May 18, 2010|url-status=dead}} Five US soldiers were among the dead. The dead Canadian soldier was identified as Colonel Geoff Parker, originally from Oakville, Ontario. He is the highest-ranked Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan.{{cite news|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/kabul-bombing-kills-canadian-colonel-17-others-1.513493 |title=Canadian Forces colonel killed in Kabul suicide attack |date=May 18, 2010 |publisher=CTV Television Network |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727123235/http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100518/afghanistan-suicide-bomber-tuesday-100518/20100518/?hub=CalgaryHome |url-status=live |archive-date=July 27, 2011 |access-date=May 18, 2010 }} An American colonel, two American lieutenant colonels, one Staff Sergeant and one Sergeant. The American officers were identified as colonel John M. McHugh, 46, from New Jersey, and lieutenant colonels, Paul R. Bartz, 43, of Waterloo, Wisconsin, and Thomas P. Belkofer, 44, of Perrysburg, Ohio. Staff Sergeant Richard J. Tieman, of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, and Sergeant Joshua Tomlinson of Dubberly, Louisiana, were also killed.

The Taliban took responsibility for the attack.{{cite news|url=https://articles.latimes.com/2010/may/19/world/la-fg-afghan-blast-20100519 |title=5 Americans among 18 killed in Afghan suicide blast |last=King |first=Laura |date=May 19, 2010 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=May 19, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 21, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100521170111/http://articles.latimes.com/2010/may/19/world/la-fg-afghan-blast-20100519 }} 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 peace jirga proposed by President Hamid Karzai.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1989668,00.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130204075849/http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1989668,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 4, 2013|title=Kabul Blast Shatters the Calm in an Afghanistan Oasis|last=Hauslohner|first=Abigail|date=May 18, 2010|magazine=Time|access-date=May 18, 2010}} According to Afghanistan's spy agency, the attack was allegedly carried out by Pakistan's spy agency Inter-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.'{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/25/world/asia/25afghan.html |title=Afghan Spy Agency Accuses Pakistan Agency in Suicide Bombing |last=Nordland |first=Rod |date=May 24, 2010 |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 25, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-date=May 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527055746/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/25/world/asia/25afghan.html }} According to US military intelligence officials, the Haqqani network, based in Pakistan, was also involved in the attack.{{cite web|url=http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2010/05/haqqani_network_exec.php |title=Haqqani Network executed Kabul suicide attack |last=Rogio |first=Bill |date=May 24, 2010 |publisher=Public Multimedia |access-date=May 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601211947/http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2010/05/haqqani_network_exec.php |url-status=live |archive-date=June 1, 2010 }}

The attack drew strong condemnation from Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Secretary General of NATO.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/canadian-colonel-dies-in-kabul-bombing-1.874741|title=Canadian colonel dies in Kabul bombing|date=May 18, 2010|publisher=CBC News|access-date=May 18, 2010}} Prime Minister Stephen 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."{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/afghanmission/article/811245--oakville-born-colonel-killed-in-kabul-bombing |title=Oakville-born colonel killed in Kabul bombing |last=Potter |first=Mitch |date=May 18, 2010 |publisher=Toronto Sun |access-date=May 19, 2010 |archive-date=May 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100520041829/http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/afghanmission/article/811245--oakville-born-colonel-killed-in-kabul-bombing |url-status=live }}

• List of terrorist incidents, 2010
• Coalition casualties in Afghanistan

{{wikinews|Afghanistan: Suicide attackers kill several people in Kabul}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8689024.stm In pictures: Kabul blast], BBC. May 18, 2010
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwLgK1nfhmo Video: Afghan blast kills Nato soldiers], Al Jazeera English, May 18, 2010

{{coord missing|Afghanistan}}

{{Afghanistan War}}

{{War on Terrorism}}

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Category:2010 murders in Afghanistan

Category:Taliban bombings in Kabul

Category:Terrorist incidents in Afghanistan in 2010

Category:Terrorist incidents in Kabul

Category:Suicide car and truck bombings in Afghanistan

Category:2010 in Kabul

Category:Mass murder in 2010

Category:Mass murder in Kabul

Category:2010 massacres of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

Category:May 2010 in Afghanistan