Kabul: 12 dead in attack over film
Female suicide bomber kills 12, wounds dozens in attack meant as retribution over film mocking Islam. Bombing claimed by Hezb-e-Islami militia
The Muslim world's fury over the film deemed offensive to Islam refuses to fade: A female suicide bomber killed 12 people and injured dozens of others in Kabul Tuesday, in the deadliest single attack since anti-US riots over the movie began.
According to available details, the woman blew up a minivan near the airport in the Afghan capital.
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The bombing was claimed by the Hezb-e-Islami insurgent group: "A woman wearing a suicide vest blew herself up in response to the anti-Islam video," said militant spokesman Zubair Sediqqi.
Scene of the bombing
Security officials in Kabul said that nine foreigners were among those killed.
Over 30 people have been killed in the violent backlash over a YouTube trailer for the film, titled "Innocence of Muslims," believed to have been produced by a small group of extremist Christians.
Anti-US protests rages across the Middle East, the Arab world, Africa, Asia, Australia and in several Western countries.
The torrent of violence has also claimed the lives of four American diplomats, including US Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens.
Scene of the attack (Photo: EPA)
US embassies in across the Arab world have been persistently stormed by angry mobs over the past week.
Also on Tuesday, Indonesians continue to protest the film, torching an American flag and tires outside the US Consulate in the country's third largest city of Medan.
About 200 people from various Islamic groups gathered Tuesday. Some unfurled banners saying, "Go to Hell America," while others trampled on dozens of paper flags in North Sumatra's provincial capital.
US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Tuesday that the US is concerned about the impact insider attacks are having on its forces in Afghanistan.But he insisted Gen. John Allen, the top US commander there, is taking necessary steps to protect the force while still ensuring the US will be able to hand over security to the Afghans and be able to withdraw by the end of 2014.
He said the attacks do not mean the Taliban is succeeding. Instead, he said the Taliban "are resorting to efforts that try to strike at our force, try to create chaos, but do not in any way result in their regaining territory that has been lost."
NATO said Monday that it has scaled back operations with Afghan soldiers and policemen to lower the risk of insider attacks and reduce local tensions over an anti-Islam video that prompted protests in Afghanistan.
AP, Reuters and AFP contributed to this report
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