“Bagram stands fast” after explosion and gunfight
11 October, 2019
A suicide bomber exploded a bomb laden vehicle in front of the gate of an unused hospital complex near U.S. Bagram Air Base. The blast killed at 2 ANA troops and wounded more than 80 others, mostly civilians. The Air Base was not breached according to officials.
The Taliban boasted that one of the assailants blew up his vehicle-born bomb, destroying an outer wall of the Bagram base. Spokesmen for the group said the blast enabled a group of heavily armed Taliban fighters to storm the facility, sparking gun battles with foreign troops, according to VOA.
“The attack was quickly contained and repelled by our ANDSF [Afghan National Defense and Security] and coalition partners, but the future medical facility was badly damaged. There were no U.S. or coalition casualties and Bagram remained secure throughout the attack,” A spokesman for NATO-led Resolute Support said, VOA news said.
The firefight between the Taliban and Afghan and U.S. forces lasted nine to 10 hours as Taliban militants barricaded themselves inside the medical facility. U.S. airstrikes eventually ended the attack, military times reported, based on official statements to the journal.
The attack was “quickly contained and repelled by our… (Afghan National Defense and Security Forces) and coalition partners, but the future medical facility was badly damaged,” according to a 455th Air Expeditionary Wing statement, as Airforcemagazine confirmed the reports.
The hospital was built by the Korean government but it had not been in use for four years due to security reasons.
Five military servicemen of Quick Reaction Forces of the Georgian contingent received minor injuries due to the terrorist attack on Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. The 12th Infantry Battalion of Georgian Defense Forces has been performing the resolute Support mission on Bagram Air Base since November Ga MOD reported
The health condition of the military servicemen of the 12th Infantry Battalion of Georgian Defense Forces – Corporals Gocha Muradashvili, Soso Kvinikadze and Roman Giunashvili, Private Ilia Takadze and Senior Sergeant Davit Bakhurauli is stable and there is no necessity for their hospitalization. Despite of minor injuries, Georgian peacekeepers continue their duty alongside with the coalition forces in Afghanistan.
13 Dec, RFE reported that the U.S. ‘Briefly’ Suspends Taliban Peace Talks After Attack On U.S. Base:
U.S. Special Envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad on December 12 said.
Peace Talks Again
The December 11 attack came as the United States last week resumed talks with the Taliban — three months after President Donald Trump abruptly halted negotiations to end the 18-year war.
After a surprise Thanksgiving trip to Afghanistan to visit the troops, Trump began the momentum for restarting peace talks.
Therefore, Khalilzad said, “We’re taking a brief pause for them to consult their leadership on this essential topic.”
With reporting from By Ayaz Gul VOA, RFE, GA MOD, Military Times and Airforcemagazine.