Senators ask defence officials to quit

KABUL, upper house of Parliament, asked senior defence ministry officials on Tuesday to stand own for their failure to prevent Monday’s attack on the ministry.

A suicide attacker in an army uniform entered the defence ministry in Kabul, and killed two soldiers and wounded seven others.

Nisar Ahmad Haris, a public representative from Kabul, criticised the defence officials for their inability to thwart the assault. “How can they secure the country’s borders when they can’t defend their ministry?” he asked.

“That bomb exploded inside the ministry is huge biggest shame for them all,” the senator remarked, saying the officials concerned should resigned soon after the incident.

Parliamentarian from western Farah province, Gul Ahmad Azimi, called for a leadership change at the ministry to deal with such assaults in the future. “If they cannot protect themselves, how can they maintain security in Khost and Paktia?”

Mohammad Daud Hasas, a member from southern Zabul province, said: “It is very sad; our security agencies jerk into action only after an incident happens.” The attack proved insurgents have infiltrated Afghan security forces, he added.

Last week, the head of National Security Directorate (NDS that some militants had managed to enter Afghan security forces’ ranks and efforts were being made to identify them.

Najibullah Hussaini, from central Daikundi province, said: “We pinned high hopes on the defence ministry, but Monday’s incident bitterly disappointed us.”

He stressed reinforcement of intelligence agencies to prevent such incidents. The fighters recently changed their tactics and security forces should do likewise, Hussaini suggested.

am/mud

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