Taliban increase attacks ahead of Karzai's inaugural ceremony

By Wang Yan

KABUL Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Taliban insurgents have launched a fresh round of attacks on military and civilian targets in Afghanistan, ahead of President Hamid Karzai's inaugural ceremony scheduled on Thursday.

Karzai would take oath as President of the post-Taliban Afghanistan for the second term on Nov. 19 amid tight security. The day has been announced public holiday in the capital city in efforts to avoid untoward security incidents.

On Monday, three rockets fired by Taliban militants hit a crowded bazaar in Kapisa province 80 km northeast of capital city Kabul, killing 10 Afghan civilians and injuring 29 others, a press release of Interior Ministry said Tuesday.

A French military officer who witnessed the attack said the target was a meeting between Brig. Gen. Marcel Druart and tribal elders, who were discussing a major French offensive in the Tagab Valley to stabilize security there.

In a separate incident Monday night, Taliban militants launched two rockets at the military part of Kabul's international airport, but did not cause any injuries, said Mohammad Hasif Jabarkhil, the commander of Police in the airport.

A day earlier on Sunday, rockets were also fired by militants, with one of them hitting inside the airport perimeter causing no casualties.

In a latest major attack in Kabul, a suicide bomber struck a military convoy near a large U.S. military base on eastern outskirts of Afghan capital on Friday morning, injuring at least three foreign troops and three Afghan civilians, according to Syed Ghafar Syedzada the Deputy to Kabul police chief.

After the attack, Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban purported spokesman, claimed responsibility and warned of more attacks.

In two separate incidents on Monday, Afghan police detained a total of 15 suspects on charge of involvement in carrying out anti-government activities in and around Kabul.

The attacks cast shadow on the inaugural ceremony of President Hamid Karzai, who was announced winner of the Afghan presidential election early this month. In his first press conference after his election victory, Karzai called on Taliban militants to lay down arms and join the peace process.