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Karzai escapes deadly attack during parade

Afghan President Hamid Karzai says several suspects have been arrested in relation to Sunday's attack at a military ceremony in Kabul.

  • Agencies
  • Published: 09:49 April 27, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Image Credit: AP
  • A government spokesman said Karzai and all Cabinet members were safe.

Kabul: Afghan President Hamid Karzai escaped unharmed on Sunday after militants attacked a high-profile military parade with rockets and gunfire, killing three people, including an MP and wounding around 10.

The extremist Taliban movement claimed responsibility for the attack which they said showed their ability to strike "wherever we want to" but saw three gunmen shot dead by security forces, the defence ministry said.

Bullets hammered into the back of a stage where the president, Afghan dignitaries and senior international representatives were seated to review the country's most important annual military parade.

The attack erupted soon after Karzai had reached the platform as a 21-gun salute was ringing out across the city to mark the 16th anniversary of the fall of the last communist government. Bodyguards sprang to cover the president and then whisked him away as people on the stage fell to the floor.

A minister told reporters later that three attackers armed with machine guns attached with grenade launchers had opened fire from a three-storey building about 500 metres from the stage.

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