Gun Battle at the Presidential Palace: What Happens Next?

The Taliban has attacked the Afganistan Presidential Palace, injuring at least four people. Taliban militants fired rockets and heavy machine guns on to the palace in Kabul yesterday evening, according to reports. The Taliban’s spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said that Taliban fighters had also taken up position inside the building. He claimed responsibility for the attack and said it was part of an ongoing campaign against government officials.

A palace guard was killed and several people were wounded in the rocket attack, according to a senior Afghan security official. Some unconfirmed reports claimed that presidential aides were among those injured. The Taliban said its fighters had taken up position inside the palace compound but government sources denied this. It seems as if attacks on sensitive targets will continue to grow, along with the increasing insurgencies in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The presidential palace in Kabul has been attacked by Taliban militants before. Last year, a suicide bomber killed seven people and wounded 15 others outside the building after detonating his explosives at the gates. The presidential palace is well protected but makes an easy target for striking militants. Security will be tightened even further as President Karzai prepares to welcome foreign leaders to talks about Afghanistan’s future later this month.

President Hamid Karzai says he remains confident that peace can be achieved through negotiations with the Taliban and its supporters. He said: “I want the Taliban to take part in this peace process so we can achieve peace together.” Officials from more than 30 countries, including China and Iran, will meet in Kabul on January 28 for two days of talks with Afghan leaders. The Taliban has not said whether it will take part in this meeting or any other negotiations.

Despite the fact that there is growing talk of negotiating with the Taliban, most analysts agree that they are an increasingly formidable threat to President Karzai’s government. They have recently launched deadly suicide attacks on military and civilian targets around the country, highlighting their strength following last month’s withdrawal of international troops from combat roles. Although Taliban forces managed to enter the palace back in 2011, they were never successful in capturing the president or anybody else in command of leadership within Afghanistan. It is unlikely that they will be successful any time soon if they continue to use this strategy against presidential forces again and again. Security surrounding presidential buildings like these must be tightened to ensure there is protection against future attacks.

The Taliban has launched an attack on the presidential palace in Kabul, according to reports. The Afghan Presidential Palace came under rocket fire shortly before 4pm local time (1230 GMT) on Saturday 18th December. One of the rockets hit the third floor of the nine-storey building but no casualties were reported. Details are fairly sketchy at this stage, although spokesmen for both sides have given their versions of what happened so far. It seems as if attacks on sensitive targets will continue to grow, along with the increasing insurgencies in Afghanistan and Pakistan. A number of international troops remain stationed there, even though they officially left combat roles last month Security will be tightened even further as President Karzai prepares to welcome foreign leaders to talks about Afghanistan’s future later this month. Despite the fact that there is growing talk of negotiating with the Taliban, most analysts agree that they are an increasingly formidable threat to President Karzai’s government. They have recently launched deadly suicide attacks on military and civilian targets around the country, highlighting their strength following last month’s withdrawal of international troops from combat roles. Although Taliban forces managed to enter the palace back in 2011, they were never successful in capturing the president or anybody else in command of leadership within Afghanistan. It is unlikely that they will be successful any time soon if they continue to use this strategy against presidential forces again and again. Security surrounding presidential buildings like these must be tightened to ensure there is protection against future attacks.