Blog 6 Suicide Bomber attacks Khost City

Three international service members and sixteen Afghan police officers and civilians were killed on Monday October 1, 2012 around 9a.m. after a suicide bomber walked into the crowded center of Khost in eastern Afghanistan wearing a vest containing explosives. According to military rules, a spokesperson cannot release information about deaths until the next of kin are notified, so a spokesman for the American-led coalition forces said three international service members and a translator were killed somewhere in Eastern Afghanistan after the attack. The Taliban responded to the attack by confirming the suicide bomber, Mujahid, as a member of the group and deemed him as their hero. This is the fourth suicide bombing in Khost Province in the last five months and the third that took place in the province capital of Khost City.

 Despite the working of the coalition forces over the past few years, the area is still heavily infiltrated by the Taliban and has become an area of intentional attacks on the innocent. Suicide bombers are especially dangerous because they are able to get extremely close to their targets and fulfill their goal to harm many. Although the international service men and troops are protected by gear, many parts of their bodies are still unprotected, leaving them vulnerable to get hurt or even killed by bombers. Civilians that wear no protective gear are even more susceptible to being killed, and the government has to gain more control over its people. There have to be more safety measures put in place to protect the innocent from these heinous and unnecessary crimes taking place in this area.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/02/world/asia/suicide-bomber-afghanistan.html?ref=asia