17 August 2019 Kabul bombing
{{short description|Suicide bombing at a wedding in Kabul}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox civilian attack
| title = 17 August 2019 Kabul bombing
| partof = the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and Persecution of Shias by the Islamic State
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| map = {{location map|Afghanistan#Afghanistan Kabul|label=Bombing site|lat_deg=34.5007|lon_deg=69.1452|float=center|width=250}}
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| location = Kabul, Afghanistan
| target = Shia Hazara civilians
| coordinates = {{coord|34.5007|N|69.1452|E|display=inline,title}}
| date = {{start date|2019|08|17|df=y}}
| time = 10:40 p.m.
| type = Suicide bombing
| fatalities = 92
| injuries = 142
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| perpetrators = Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province
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| weapons = Explosive belt
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| motive = Anti-Shi'ism
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{{Campaignbox War in Afghanistan (2001–present)}}
On 17 August 2019, a suicide bombing took place during a wedding in a wedding hall in Kabul, Afghanistan. At least 92 people were killed in the attack and over 140 injured.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-49662640|title=Afghanistan war: Tracking the killings in August 2019|date=16 September 2019|work=BBC News|access-date=17 September 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/20190818-afghanistan-suicide-attack-dozens-dead-kabul-wedding-hall|title=Suicide attack targeting Kabul wedding kills at least 60|publisher=France 24|date=18 August 2019|access-date=21 August 2019}}{{Cite news|last=Sediqi|first=Abdul Qadir |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-blast/afghan-wedding-suicide-blast-kills-63-wounds-182-ministry-idUSKCN1V70K6|title=Afghan wedding suicide blast kills 63, amid hopes for talks|date=17 August 2019|work=Reuters|access-date=18 August 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://news.sky.com/story/dozens-feared-dead-or-injured-in-explosion-at-wedding-hall-in-kabul-afghanistan-11787995|title=Bomb blast at wedding party in Kabul, Afghanistan kills 63 and injures 182 more|date=18 August 2019|publisher=Sky News|access-date=21 August 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/08/death-toll-afghanistan-wedding-blast-rises-80-190821070634770.html|title=Death toll in Afghanistan wedding blast rises to 80|date=21 August 2019|publisher=Al Jazeera|access-date=21 August 2019}} The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claimed responsibility for the bombing, stating that the attack targeted the Shi'ites. More than 1,000 people were gathered for the wedding when the attack took place.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-49383803|title=Bomb kills 63 at wedding in Kabul|work=BBC News |date=18 August 2019|access-date=19 August 2019}} The attack occurred a day before the 100th Afghan Independence Day, causing the government to postpone the planned celebrations taking place at the Darul Aman Palace.{{cite news|url= https://www.khaleejtimes.com/international/rest-of-asia/wedding-bombing-afghanistan-postpones-100th-independence-day-celebrations |title=Wedding bombing: Afghanistan postpones 100th Independence Day celebrations|agency=Indo-Asian News Service|via=Khaleej Times |date=19 August 2019|access-date=21 August 2019}} It was the deadliest attack in Kabul since January 2018.{{cite news|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/death-toll-from-weekend-kabul-wedding-attack-now-80 |title=Death toll from weekend Kabul wedding attack now 80|agency=Agence France-Presse|via=The Straits Times|date=21 August 2019 |access-date=21 August 2019}}
Attack
The suicide bombing occurred at approximately 10:40 p.m. Afghanistan Time (UTC+04:30) in western Kabul, in an area heavily populated by the Shia Hazara minority, inside the "Dubai City" wedding hall.{{Cite news|url=https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/kabul-blast-in-dubai-city-wedding-hall-63-killed-182-wounded-1.1566098578924|title=Kabul blast in "Dubai City" wedding hall: 63 killed, 182 wounded|date=18 August 2019|work=Gulf News|access-date=18 August 2019}}{{cite news|last=Gul |first=Ayaz |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/south-central-asia_suicide-bombing-wedding-party-kabul-killed-63/6174020.html|title=Suicide Bombing of Wedding Party in Kabul Killed 63|publisher=Voice of America|date=18 August 2019|access-date=21 August 2019}} The suicide bomber detonated the explosives in the men's section{{Cite news|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/396939/fears-of-many-deaths-after-bomb-explodes-at-kabul-wedding|title=Fears of many deaths after bomb explodes at Kabul wedding|date=18 August 2019|publisher=Radio New Zealand |access-date=18 August 2019}} of the wedding hall, near the stage where musicians were playing,{{cite news|last1=Mengli|first1=Ahmed |last2=Yusufzai |first2=Mushtaq |last3=Talmazan|first3=Yuliya |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/dozens-dead-or-hurt-wedding-party-blast-afghan-capital-n1043661|work=NBC News|title='The suffering will continue': Groom mourns 63 killed at Afghan wedding amid U.S. withdrawal talks|date=18 August 2019|access-date=21 August 2019}} at a time when hundreds were inside the building for a wedding ceremony.{{Cite news|last=Prokos|first=Hayley |url=https://www.newsweek.com/possibly-hundreds-caught-blast-inside-wedding-hall-kabul-1454891?piano_t=1|title=Possibly Hundreds Caught In Blast Inside Wedding Hall In Kabul|date=17 August 2019|work=Newsweek|access-date=18 August 2019}} The bomber detonated a suicide vest packed with ball bearings.{{cite news|last1=Mashal|first1=Mujib |last2=Faizi |first2=Fatima |last3=Abed|first3=Fahim |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/18/world/asia/kabul-wedding-bomb-isis.html|title=One Minute It Was an Afghan Wedding. The Next, a Funeral for 63|work=The New York Times|date=18 August 2019|access-date=18 August 2019}}
The explosion occurred shortly before the wedding ceremony was supposed to start. According to the wedding hall's owner, more than 1,200 people had been invited to the event, with a mixed group of Shi'ites and Sunnis attending.{{cite news|last1=Faiez|first1=Rahim |last2=Anna|first2=Cara |url=https://www.apnews.com/b5ceb0cfb33d4d73aaaadf5eee19fe9d|title=Islamic State claims bombing at Kabul wedding that killed 63|work=Associated Press|date=18 August 2019|access-date=18 August 2019}} Most of the attendees were ethnic Hazaras. Both the bride and the groom were Shi'ite,{{cite news|last1=Constable|first1= Pamela|author-link= Pamela Constable |last2=Hassan|first2=Sharif |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/bloody-suicide-attack-on-kabul-wedding-kills-at-least-63/2019/08/18/ace5f0d4-c17d-11e9-a5c6-1e74f7ec4a93_story.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|title=Islamic State claims suicide attack on Kabul wedding that killed 63|date=18 August 2019|access-date=18 August 2019}} and both from modest working class families, with the groom working as a tailor. Their families had discussed how to schedule the timing of the wedding to try to minimize the risk of an attack.
At least 63 people were initially killed and 182 injured. While the bride and groom survived, both lost several family members. Many children were also among those killed. 17 more people succumbed to their injuries in the days after the attack, bringing the death toll to 80. The final death toll was put at 92.
Responsibility
The day after the attack, a local affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS, the Islamic State, or Daesh) claimed responsibility for the attack.{{cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/08/afghanistan-scores-killed-kabul-wedding-blast-190818050258914.html|title=Afghanistan: Scores killed in Kabul wedding blast|date=18 August 2019|publisher=Al Jazeera|access-date=21 August 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://m.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Blast-at-wedding-in-Kabul-wounds-at-least-20-598928|title=ISIS claims Afghan wedding suicide blast that killed 63 |agency=Reuters |via=The Jerusalem Post|date=18 August 2019|access-date=21 August 2019}} The statement of responsibility claimed that after the suicide bombing inside the wedding hall, a car bomb was also detonated outside as emergency vehicles were arriving.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-49390900|work=BBC News|title=Kabul wedding blast: Groom has 'lost hope' after deadly attack|date = 19 August 2019 | access-date = 21 August 2019}} The follow-up car bombing has not been confirmed by the authorities.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/afghanistan-bombing-islamic-state-claims-responsibility-for-bombing-at-kabul-wedding-that-killed-63/|work=CBS News|title=Islamic State claims responsibility for bombing at Kabul wedding that killed 63|date = 18 August 2019 | access-date = 18 August 2019}}
The Taliban denied responsibility for the attack,{{Cite news|url=https://www.khaama.com/taliban-reacts-to-deadly-kabul-wedding-hall-bombing-which-killed-at-least-63-03680/|title=Taliban reacts to deadly Kabul wedding hall bombing which killed at least 63|date=18 August 2019|agency=Khaama Press|access-date=18 August 2019}} with a spokesman stating that the Taliban "condemns [the bombing] in the strongest terms".
Reactions
= Domestic =
President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani declared a day of mourning. He also stated that the Taliban can not fully escape blame for the attack either, saying that "The Taliban cannot absolve themselves of blame for they provide platform for terrorists."{{Cite news|url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-afghanistan-blast-president/afghan-president-says-taliban-cant-escape-blame-for-deadly-bombing-idUKKCN1V8039?rpc=401&|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190915074444/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-afghanistan-blast-president/afghan-president-says-taliban-cant-escape-blame-for-deadly-bombing-idUKKCN1V8039?rpc=401&|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 September 2019|title=Afghan president says Taliban can't escape blame for deadly bombing|date=18 August 2019|work=Reuters|access-date=18 August 2019}}{{cite tweet |first=Ashraf |last=Ghani |user=ashrafghani |number=1162969356780867590 |date=17 August 2019 |title=Taliban cannot absolve themselves of blame, for they provide platform for terrorists. Today is the day of mourning, hence #StateBuilder have cancelled today's gathering at the Loya Jirga tent.}}
The Taliban denied responsibility for the attack and condemned it. The group's spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement that the group "strongly condemns explosion{{sic}} targeting civilians inside a hotel in Kabul city," while also adding that "Such barbaric deliberate attacks against civilians including women and children are forbidden and unjustifiable."
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-49383803 Afghanistan: Bomb kills 63 at wedding in Kabul]
- [https://www.rferl.org/a/u-s-says-kabul-wedding-bombing-attack-on-humanity-ahead-of-afghanistan-independence-day/30116692.html Dozens Wounded In Blasts As Afghanistan Marks Independence Day]
- [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/17/dozens-feared-dead-or-wounded-after-afghan-wedding-hall-blast Islamic State claims responsibility for Kabul wedding hall blast]
- [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/17/world/asia/kabul-wedding-explosion.html 63 Killed as Explosion Turns Kabul Wedding Into Carnage]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kabul bombing, 17 August 2019}}
Category:Persecution of Shias by the Islamic State
Category:2019 murders in Afghanistan
Category:2019 massacres of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Category:Attacks on weddings in Afghanistan
Category:August 2019 crimes in Asia
Category:August 2019 in Afghanistan
Category:ISIL terrorist incidents in Afghanistan
Category:Islamic terrorist incidents in 2019
Category:Persecution of Hazaras
Category:Suicide bombings in 2019
Category:Terrorist incidents in Afghanistan in 2019