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 KABUL 00005952 002 OF 002 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