E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSKABUL, Afghanistan -- A number of Afghan national army soldiers have been arrested inside the country’s defense ministry over a foiled suicide bomb plot, officials told NBC News.
The soldiers were held on Monday afternoon along with 11 suicide bomb vests in a guard box in the building in the capital, Kabul, army officials said on Tuesday.
Afghan news web site Khaama also reported the arrests, saying the incident raises fresh concerns over infiltration of militants among the country’s Afghan security forces.
There were no further details immediately available.
Tim Marshall, foreign editor of UK channel Sky News, said that the incident was serious, and showed that the Taliban are determined to chase NATO out of the country.
"The fact that these arrests took place within the walls of the defense ministry illustrates the level of insurgent penetration within the Afghanistan establishment and just tells you -- gives a signal of -- what is likely to happen when NATO leaves," he said.
Afghan massacre suspect's wife: 'He did not do this'
The arrests came on the same day that at least three NATO service members were shot dead by Afghan security forces in two separate attacks.
March 12: The killing of 16 civilians by an American soldier has further enflamed tensions in Afghanistan. ITN’s Martin Geissler reports from Afghanistan.
A gunman wearing an Afghan army uniform killed two NATO troops in southern Afghanistan, while another was shot in eastern Afghanistan by an alleged member of the Afghan Local Police.
The attacks brought to 16 the number of NATO-led forces killed so far this year in what appeared to be attacks by members of Afghan forces.
Meanwhile, support for the war in Afghanistan has dropped sharply among both Republicans and Democrats, according to a New York Times/CBS News poll published Tuesday.
The survey found that more than two-thirds of those polled — 69 percent — thought that the United States should not be at war in Afghanistan, the New York Times reported.
PhotoBlog: 12 die in Quran-burning protests in Afghanistan
Just four months ago, 53 percent said that Americans should no longer be fighting in the conflict, it said.
It added that the increased disillusionment was even more pronounced when respondents were asked their impressions of how the war was going. The poll found that 68 percent thought the fighting was going “somewhat badly” or “very badly,” compared with 42 percent who had those impressions in November.
The poll was conducted by telephone from March 21 to 25 with 986 adults nationwide.
Akbar Shinwari, NBC News in Kabul, and msnbc.com staff also contributed to this report.
More from msnbc.com and NBC News:
- Sarkozy: Some Muslim clerics 'not welcome on French soil'
- In Brazil, 'Gang of Blondes' kidnapped women, emptied their bank accounts
- Strauss-Kahn hit with preliminary sex-ring charges
- Syria responds to Annan's peace proposal; Homs shelled again
- Expert: Al-Qaida web forums crippled in suspected cyber-attack
Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world
Leave a Comment:
I find myself wondering . . . When an Afghan soldier/security man goes berserk and kills NATO personel, does the Afghan Government pay $50,000.00 to the families of the NATO people who were killed and/or the families of innocent civilians who died?
Fred, the Afganies put more anger into the burning of the Korans. They don't care about human lives if they did ,they would of asked for more cash.
It's time to go. This part of the world has been in war since Jesus walked the earth and will be in war as long as there is an earth. Right now we are protecting what? A corrupt drug smuggling, murdering idiot that calls himself the leader of that clown show. It's not that I don't have compassion for these people, but we are needed elsewhere, like to help fight the drug war that is on our southern border. Bring them home now.
Starr, write your conressperson and see if they have the guts to bring up getting out>
We aren't needed elsewhere or anywhere! Let's put out the fires in our own country first and then we'd better able to help others and not by selling them weapons.
Many may have missed it on the news, but, there was a lady about a month ago who was killed on our side of the Rio Grande who was just walking along with her dog from a bullet on the Mexican side. Okay, maybe that's not significant to some people. But, fact is, I could go on and on about how Laredo Texas and El Paso have residents who are in real fear of their lives while the government PROCLAIMS our border there is safe. That is just such BS. And, 60% of our roads and bridges are in serious need of infrastructure and rebuilding. I won't even get into the school system. But, we're protecting other countries with 163 foreign bases and we can't build our own roads, schools, bridges and protect our own citizens at our borders ? Is it just me, or is there something wrong with this picture ?
obviously.. it's just you
Perry, good post.Our boarders are not safe and the infrastructue is in shamles.You can thank a do nothing congess. There only agenda was to say no and make sure O'Barma gets not elected.So no
infrastructure bill.we need some bases to operate out of overseas,but we could cut them bytwo thirds readind Janes Report .Now, O'Barma most likely will not get elected and the Republicans like the military Industrial Complex so the war goes on and Romney who wants to send another Carrier off Iran(that's with other ships to protect the carrier)so Romney's elected what's going to change with a congress bought and paid for?
We need to get rid of a do nothing congress also. Vote the incumbants out.
Perry - we need to vote out congress and start over - even with the president. They are so worried about being re-elected they forgot about why they are there!
have aany of you read any of obamas books in one he sayes if the wind of politics turn ugly he will stand with the muslums,this should tell you obama lovers out there what he is and who he is. but I will tell you: what he is is a muslum true blood who he is a: he is the fatherless son of satin trying to bring down ths us and iseral because we are the true hires of the kingdom of GOD and that makes muslums crazy the rad. muslums that is and believe it or not there are christan muslums and I pray to God to protect them from the nuts like obama.
I don't care if he's a martian! I just want out of this country and to take care of Our Troops! He lied to us that he would get us out and we could have re-elected Bush and got the same results - no budget, still at war, no jobs, etc., etc.
I believe the Russians had a better chance of bringing running water and sanitary facilities to this culture than we do now. The Russians were well on their way to civilizing this Nation of Warrior Muslims when .. we the Pillar of Freedom .. armed the insurrection.. and have now reaped the benefit of that sowing. One would think that in this day of educated enlightenment.. answers to the problems such as the one we face in Afghanistan would come to light a little more readily.. obviously the answer is "partition". give the Taliban the southern half as their homeland .. a place where they can practice their religion and lifestyle in peace.. and give the north to those Afghans that want to exploit their mineral wealth and live a western lifestyle..
simple.
Exodus- Before someone on here says you are crazy (I certainly don't), may I add the fact that India did just that. They created Pakistan back around 1947 I think it was just for that very reason. To get rid of the riff raff out of India. So, your suggestion, in my opinion, Isn't half bad. But, certainly looks like that's gonna bite'em in the ass tho. But, hey, if it means we can gtf outta there, then, super idea.
Just another reason why we should pull our troops out and quit handing their corrupt government any money. I have empathy for their children; however, the conclusion is that nothing will ever change these people.
It's about time to get the hell out of all those Mid East countries and let them do what they do best: grow dope and kill each other. These are the only jobs they know except maybe making rugs. So sad for all the American lives lost these past 10+ years. Maybe their suicide bombers will blow up Iran, Iraq, Pakistan & Syria (throw in Egypt and Somalia too). Any sympathizers go there too and take part in the destruction. Let them prove to the world how holy Islam really is and how important the Koran leads them in their lives....BLOODSHED. But do that amongst themselvs.
Hooah ! And, sell'em ammo in case they run out while they're killing each other.
Mom to husband "did you kill someone today?" Husband "No!" Mom "Shame on you! Your boys did and I'm so proud of them!" Husband "Hope tomorrow is a better day" Sons "Dad, We will kill you if you don't kill someone tomorrow!" Dad "I got a vest and I'll kill a bunch tomorrow...you will see and then be proud of me. Allah!"
It looks like we are just training them to kill us. Pull the troops home and not let anyone from those countries access to the U.S., put troops on the borders, airlines, and ship terminals. If allowed by our friends, put troops at their airports to stop them from gaining acces to the U.S. as well.
What a surprise! Yet again our Muslim allies are double-crossing us.
Rachel, they really aren't double-crossing us. That has always been their way of life. If they still have 2 hands, one is reaching out for whatever is given to them while the other is ready to stick a knife in that person's back. They they go home and read the 'book' while rubbing blood on their bellies. No wonder they smell.
The Afghan security forces have been infiltrated? Noooooo. Who woulda thunk it? How could that have possibly happened? It just goes to show you, some things just can't be forseen.
For Christ's sake, CAN WE GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE?????????
We was Bush whacked!
We got Bin Laden mission accomplished......time to go home.....
It hardly seems worthwhile to have so many Americans die just to provide cell phones to cave people.....
You can't win hearts and minds when the enemy has neither.......
wake the hell up people!!
the vests were supplies of the ministry. this is obvious proof that the afghanistan ministries have their own damn suicide bombers. caught red handed with 11 freakin' vests? sure, security guys find a pile of 11 vests just waiting for the suicide bombers to arrive, slip them on and activate them every day. it's not the taliban, it's the afghan government itself!
the entire premise that they broke up a plot to blow up the ministry is insulting. please shovel me another huge load of crap. i'm still hungry. duh.
So much for nationalism in Afghanistan ( and probably the whole Middle East). Clearly with many Muslims religion is the identity, not country of birth. We really should not use our soldiers to fight this war. We should use our drones and guided weaponry against enemies who are arguably not human either. Humans use some reasoning.
I once read an article that claimed that nearly 40% of Afghanistan's population is addicted to opium. Hashish is readily available everywhere in that country and it is not uncommon for truck drivers (coming from Pakistan with NATO supplies) to smoke it constantly while enroute. There is no wonder why the Afghans don't like America trying to stop the drug trade. A big THUMBS UP to all those Afghan soldiers helping to defend the drug trade! By the way, a 'thumbs up' to an Afghan is the same as the old middle finger to Americans.
Who says America is trying to STOP the opium trade? The Taliban HAD stopped the opium trade. The US REOPENED the opium trade because US pharmaceutical companies were desperate for CHEAP OPIUM for their drugs which are also used to give relief from pain to critically injured US soldiers.
With Bin-Laden and a bunch of alQueda leaders gone now. I wish our government would remember what they said to the Taiban before we invaded.
Our government told them they could remain in power, if they would turn over Bin-Laden and afew alQueda leaders. In other words, we didn't care of freedom for the Afghan people.
When the Taiban said no to us. That's when we invaded the Taiban. Calling the war, freedom for the Afghan people.
The republican candidates were critical of Obama every time a foreign policy question came up whether we should get involved be it Syria, Libya, Egypt or North Korea. McCain went as far as to say we should have went in while North Korea was in turmoil after their leader died to disarm them. We need a military to protect our country not to police the world.