Rockets fired at Afghan president
Monday, 11 June 2007
KABUL, Jun 10 (AP): Taliban militants fired up to six rockets near a gathering where President Hamid Karzai was giving a speech Sunday in central Afghanistan, but no one was hurt, officials said.
The attack happened as clashes and airstrikes in the country's south and northwest left 47 suspected militants and two police dead.
Karzai was giving a speech to the elders and residents of Andar district of Ghazni province when rockets were fired nearby, said Ali Shah Ahmadzai, provincial police chief.
Witnesses said they heard between four and six rockets fired.
The rockets missed their target, and Karzai continued his speech, calling on the those gathered to remain calm, said Arif Yaqoubi, a local reporter attending the event.
Purported Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi told the Associated Press that Taliban militants were behind the attack. He spoke by satellite phone from an undisclosed location.
Six rockets were fired nearby as Karzai was telling people gathered at a school yard in Andar about government projects to build roads and clinics, Yaqoubi said.
"He briefly stopped his speech, and the people were concerned and worried," Yaqoubi said. "But then Karzai continued by saying, 'Calm down and don't worry.'"
Khial Mohammad, a Ghazni lawmaker also at the event, said that during the speech "we heard the sounds of rockets whizzing over our heads" before slamming in the distance.
"The programme went on as scheduled. Nothing was stopped," said an Afghan government official, who did not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak about the incident. Karzai returned to Kabul afterward, he said.
The attack happened as clashes and airstrikes in the country's south and northwest left 47 suspected militants and two police dead.
Karzai was giving a speech to the elders and residents of Andar district of Ghazni province when rockets were fired nearby, said Ali Shah Ahmadzai, provincial police chief.
Witnesses said they heard between four and six rockets fired.
The rockets missed their target, and Karzai continued his speech, calling on the those gathered to remain calm, said Arif Yaqoubi, a local reporter attending the event.
Purported Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi told the Associated Press that Taliban militants were behind the attack. He spoke by satellite phone from an undisclosed location.
Six rockets were fired nearby as Karzai was telling people gathered at a school yard in Andar about government projects to build roads and clinics, Yaqoubi said.
"He briefly stopped his speech, and the people were concerned and worried," Yaqoubi said. "But then Karzai continued by saying, 'Calm down and don't worry.'"
Khial Mohammad, a Ghazni lawmaker also at the event, said that during the speech "we heard the sounds of rockets whizzing over our heads" before slamming in the distance.
"The programme went on as scheduled. Nothing was stopped," said an Afghan government official, who did not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak about the incident. Karzai returned to Kabul afterward, he said.