PRT/QALAT: SUICIDE BOMBING IN QALAT BAZAAR

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 005952

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A, S/CRS, SA/PB, S/CT,
EUR/RPM
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
NSC PASS TO NSA FOR AHARRIMAN
OSD FOR KIMMITT
CENTCOM FOR CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD, JICCENT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/16/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER ASEC MARR AF
SUBJECT: PRT/QALAT: SUICIDE BOMBING IN QALAT BAZAAR

Classified By: A/POLCOUNS Martin Murphy for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (S/REL TO USA, ISAF, NATO) SUMMARY: On December 14, a
suicide bomber detonated himself in the Qalat bazaar killing
four locals, including a 12 year old child. Thirty others
were wounded, but all were treated at the provincial hospital
without outside assistance, a noteworthy accomplishment.
Initial local assessment is that had the suicide vest been
better constructed, the explosion would have caused much
greater damage. Provincial officials have publicly condemned
the attack, which was apparently targeting the local police.
According to the provincial chief of police, due in part to
warnings of a continued threat against him, Governor Arman
temporarily left Qalat for Kabul. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) On December 14, a single suicide bomber blew himself
up in the middle of the busy Qalat bazaar. An Afghan
National Police (ANP) truck was at the side of the road, and
Rozi Khan, a commander of four Highway 1 police checkpoints,
and one of his men were inside the truck. According to
General Paktin, Zabul,s provincial chief of police, the
bomber approached the vehicle wearing an ANP jacket and as he
reached the vehicle, detonated his explosive-laden vest.


3. (U) The bomber killed himself and four civilians at the
scene. Amazingly, the two ANP officers in the vehicle walked
away from the truck and were treated for only minor injuries.
The four local nationals killed included a 12 year old boy,
two shopkeepers (ages 20 and 32),and a 65 year old man
passing by. Thirty other injured persons were transported to
the provincial hospital for treatment.


4. (S/REL TO USA, ISAF, NATO) Upon receipt of the news of the
explosion, a QRF and EOD team went to the scene of the
attack. Though they arrived soon after the incident, the
scene had already been compromised by families taking the
dead and wounded away and the ANP moving the damaged vehicle,
resulting in EOD,s inability to fully exploit the site.
However, the EOD team,s initial assessment was that the
likely reason that the ANP officers survived, and that there
were limited casualties and injuries, was because of a poorly
made suicide vest and a limited amount of high explosives.
The material placed inside the vest consisted of a porous
metal, as opposed to ball bearings or other materials that
would be strong enough to do major damage to the intended
target.

5. (U) Both Governor Arman and General Paktin spoke to the
media shortly after tQincident and condemned the attack.
They emphasized the civilian deaths, especially that children
were killed and wounded. Most locals that the PRT spoke with
were also angered by the incident and what they saw as
senseless deaths.


6. (S/REL TO USA, ISAF, NATO) Governor Arman had been in
Kandahar for the Presidential Policy Action Group (PAG)
visit, and apparently was on Highway One in Qalat City when
he heard the explosion. PRT commander and PRTOff met with
General Paktin on the afternoon of December 15, and he stated
that at 1 AM that morning, the Governor received a call from
the Ministry of the Interior warning him that there were
other suicide bombers in Qalat and that he was a target.
Apparently, in part because of this warning, Governor Arman
temporarily left for Kabul in the early morning of December
15 to be with his family and avoid a further suicide attack.


8. (U) If there is a positive side of this tragic incident,
it is the treatment of the wounded at the local hospital.
The UAE-funded, and U.S.-supported, hospital was completed in
March of this year, and since then has seen tremendous
growth, both in the number of doctors on staff and number of
patients treated. All 30 of the wounded were transported to
the hospital and treated by local doctors. There were three
doctors in Qalat at the time of the bombing and all three of
them worked for twelve straight hours after the incident, and
without outside assistance, treating the wounded and

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performing surgeries.


9. (U) Several PRT officials visited the hospital the day
after the incident and the chief of surgery detailed the
types of wounds incurred. There were four children injured;
two were treated for minor injuries and released, one had a
fractured pelvis and one had shrapnel in his feet. The most
serious injuries were a lacerated liver, an injury that
severed the main vein of the leg, and shrapnel to the
abdomen, but all are expected to fully recover. The chief of
surgery told the PRT that they ran short of some supplies
because of the number of patients, but were able to send the
ambulance to the bazaar to purchase the needed supplies.


10. (C/REL TO USA, ISAF, NATO) COMMENT: This is the latest
in several suicide bombings in Zabul province over the past
six months. These incidents in and of themselves do not
appear to be indicative of a downward spiral in the security
situion in Zabul, although security remains a primary concern
throughout the province. Projects continue to move forward
across the province, traffic on Highway 1 increases by the
day, and the people seem to be going about their day-to-day
lives without constantly worrying about suicide attacks. PRT
Qalat, in partnership with Task Force Zabul, is constantly
assessing the threat in the area and will take necessary
precautions while continuing to travel and work throughout
the province.


11. (U) Comment continued: The treatment of all the wounded
at the provincial hospital is a major accomplishment. A few
months ago, the hospital would not have had the capability to
handle this situation, and would have certainly required
outside assistance. This is a glowing example of how
building needed infrastructure and capacity can give Afghans
the tools that they need to provide, care for, and sustain
themselves.

NORLAND