IMU, Taliban launched joint suicide assault in Panjshir

By Bill Roggio - June 1, 2013 - LWJ

Hanzala and Nusratullah, two members of the joint Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and Taliban suicide assault team in Panjshir. Images from SITE Intelligence Group.

The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, an al Qaeda and Taliban-linked group that operates in Afghanistan, claimed it executed the May 29 suicide assault on the governor's compound in Panjshir in concert with the Taliban. The IMU announced that the attack was part of the Taliban's 2013 spring offensive.
The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan released the statement announcing its participation in the attack in Panjshir, one of the most secured provinces in Afghanistan and the bastion of the former Northern Alliance. The statement was obtained and translated by the SITE Intelligence Group.
The IMU admitted that the attack was executed under the banner of the Taliban's Khalid bin Waleed spring offensive, which was announced at the end of April. In that statement, the Taliban said it would conduct suicide assaults on Coalition and Afghan facilities. The IMU has integrated its operations with the Taliban in the Afghan north; the two groups conduct joint attacks, and IMU leaders serve in the Taliban's shadow government in some areas.
"This attack is the continuation of series of attacks which bear the name of Khalid bin Waleed' announced by Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in the spring of 2013," the IMU said.
The IMU said that the six members of the suicide assault team "were equipped with light and heavy weaponry, hand grenades" and "were wearing explosive filled martyrdom costumes" and "suits of policemen."
Three of the fighters were from Afghanistan, two were from Uzbekistan, and one was from Kyrgyzstan.
"Those six mujahids comprised of three from Mawarounnahr [Transoxiana, the historic name for the area of Central Asia consisting of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, southern Kyrgyzstan and southwest Kazakhstan] and the other three from Afghanistan, all of whom were on the fidai list (the waiting list of martyrdom-seeking mujahids) impatiently waiting for their turn," the statement said, according to SITE.

Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2013/06/imu_taliban_launched.php#ixzz2UxpZE100

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6 suicide bombers killed in attack on Panjshir governor compound

Map of Afghanistan with Panjshir highlighted (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A group of suicide bombers attacked Panjshir province administrative department compound early Wednesday morning.

The incident took place after a suicide bomber detonated his explosives near the main entrance gate of the compound and the remaining suicide bombers entered the building.

Provincial police chief Mohammad Qasim Jangalbagh said at least one police officer was killed during the attack and four othres were injured.

Mr. Qasim further added some parts of the compound also caught fire during the attack.

He said all seven suicide bombers were killed during the clashes with the Afghan security forces and a vehicle packed with explosives was also caught by Afghan security forces before the suicide manage to detonate the explosives.

In the meantime provincial governor spokesman Abdul Kabir Wasiq said the attack started around 3:20 am local time after six suicide bombers in Afghan police uniform attack the compound.

Panjshir is among the peaceful provinces in nothern Afghanistan and today’s incident is the first suicide attack carried out by militants.

from KHAAMA
By Mirwais Adeel - 29 May 2013, 6:55 am

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