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Subscribe to RSSAccording to reports citing local officials in Afghanistan, a female suicide bomber attacked a minibus near Kabul, killing at least nine people in what may be the deadliest act of retribution over an anti-Islam film produced in the U.S. NBC's Richard Engel reports.
Updated at 9:25 a.m. ET: A suicide bomber attacked a minibus near Kabul airport in Afghanistan on Tuesday, killing at least nine people including eight foreign civilians working for an international aviation company, according to reports citing local officials.
Afghan militants claimed responsibility, saying the attack was carried out by a young female in retaliation for a film mocking the Prophet Muhammad.
The South African International Affairs Ministry said that eight of the victims were South African citizens.
Spokesman Nelson Kgwete told The Associated Press that the victims are believed to have been employed by a South African aviation company based at Rand Airport in Johannesburg.
Earlier, Reuters reported that Russians were also among the foreign workers killed. Unidentified police sources put the total death toll higher than the local officials, saying 12 had died.
The attack underscored growing anger in Afghanistan over the film, which has enraged much of the Muslim world and led to the killing last week of the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans.
US-Afghan military operations suspended after attacks
Thousands of protesters clashed with police in the Afghan capital on Monday, burning cars and hurling rocks at security forces in the worst outbreak of demonstration-related violence since rioting in February over the inadvertent burning of Qurans by U.S. soldiers.
The death toll from the suicide attack was the highest on foreigners in the city since April 2011 when an Afghan air force pilot gunned down eight U.S. military flight instructors and an American civilian adviser after an argument at Kabul International Airport.
Crowds of angry protesters showed up in Kabul, Afghanistan and Jakarta, Indonesia. The violent uprising followed a deadly weekend marking the deaths of eight International Security Assistance Force members. NBC's Atia Abawi reports.
Haroon Zarghoon, a spokesman for Hizb-i-Islami -- a radical militant group that shares some of the Taliban's anti-foreigner, anti-government aims -- told the Associated Press that the attack was carried out by a 22-year-old woman named Fatima. However, the AP noted that suicide bombings carried out by women are extremely rare in Afghanistan — and few if any women drive cars.
Another spokesman for the group, Zubair Sediqqi, told Reuters: "A woman wearing a suicide vest blew herself up in response to the anti-Islam video."
Gen. Abdul Zahir, director of the local Criminal Investigation Department, told NBC News there was no way of confirming yet if the bomber was a male or female.
Reuters cited unidentified police sources saying the bomber was a woman, possibly driving a Toyota Corolla car rigged with explosives, which she triggered.
Explosion happened in few minutes ago in Kabulinstagr.am/p/Psz8TXQIOn/
— Massoud Hossaini (@Massoud151) September 18, 2012
Local photojournalist Massoud Hossaini who posted a picture of the blast scene on Twitter, said all the foreign bodies he saw were "without any uniform."
Protesters in Kabul and several other Asian cities have vented their fury over the film at the United States, blaming it for what they see as an attack on Islam. The outcry saddles President Barack Obama with an unexpected foreign policy headache as he campaigns for re-election in November. His administration has condemned the film as reprehensible and disgusting.
In response to the violence in Benghazi, Libya, where U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed, and elsewhere lastweek, the United States has sent ships, extra troops and specialforces to protect U.S. interests and citizens in the Middle East, while a number of its embassies have evacuated staff and are on high alert for trouble.
The identity of those directly responsible for the film remains unclear.
Clips posted online since July have been attributed to a man named Sam Bacile, which two people connected with the film have said was probably an alias.
Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, 55, a Coptic Christian widely linked to the film in media reports, was questioned in California on Saturday by U.S. authorities investigating possible violations of his probation for a bank fraud conviction.
NBC News producer Akbar Shinwari in Kabul, Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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- NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin in Benghazi answers questions about consulate attack
- In Niger, child marriage on rise due to hunger
- Obama: US has 'profound respect for people of all faiths'
- Clashes after South Africa cops raid miners' hostels to seize weapons
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If I had my way I would pull all of our troops, people and aid out of Afghanistan and let them eat sand. Plus I would make it very hard for them to come over here.
Let them kill each other. They have fought each other for centuries, only taking a break to band together against an external threat. Then back to blowing each other up.... Get out and shut the door.
Here's an idea. For all countries, including Libya, Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan where US interests and sovereign diplomatic safe zones are damaged or threatened, the federal government needs to start deducting the costs of protecting, repairing, replacing our interests and properties from the foreign aid tab. Once we start this approach, I guarantee the host countries will thwart these out of control situations more rapidly and realize they cannot keeping biting the hand that feeds them.
you know what, this is nothing new, muslims(mostly middle eastern) use religion as their excuse to do so many inhumane acts, genocide, murder, torchure, etc etc, throughout their history. These countries are just barbarians that have governments ruled by their religions and their completely insane leaders, which has never been a good thing(Hitler, Saddam Hussein, etc etc). I hate to say it but this stupid film that some stupid idiot made is going to be the catalyst for world war 3, which will basically be the U.S. and its Major Allies that have no religious governments, against the entire Muslim world. Mark my words, Nostradamus and the Mayans were pretty damn insightful after all it seems. Hello Dec. 21, 2012
You very well may be right. The New Era that is supposed to be coming could be one without Islam and it's muslim followers.
I now believe it is a turning point in time. We need to stop aid, stop buying the oil, and blow the hell out of them. I am tired of the modern world putting up with this fanatical religion made up of people who have not evolved. It is time for them to go the way of the other creatures unable to evolve.
you said it Dan, thank you!
how much money and aid have we given all these countries that have now turned against us, just because of one idiot from America??
Why are we in Afghananstain anyway? Why are your Soilders fighting a War, the Russian know couldn't be Won ? Why is the United States Of American spending 1 Billion U.S Dollars trying to protect people who spit on us ? Why do we Armed a Country that Manufacture Heroin, and Cocaine for Sale in the USA and then all the Profits go back to the Drug Dealers in Afgan and Paskitan, but we a the Butt of the Jokes and our Soilder are dying, for what cause?. I think President Obama, should pack up our Soilders, Equipment, Tanks, Helicopters and come Home on Dec 31, 2012. What ever we leave, make President Karzin write a Check for 100 Billions U.S Dollars, and call it a Day. This Country has been at War for the last 25 years. First with itself. Same Damn People who can't get along. Muslins and Christans who look just like each other, just diffrent belief's Fighting each other. STUPID..Then the Russian, who thought they could Conquer, Well never happen and they lost over 3000 Troops. And now The U.S.A. The "WORLD POLICE'. We are not "CAPTAIN SAVE A HOE". If these people who God, created equal want to Kill each other, then SO BE IT. We have our own problems here in America, Murders, Dope, Rape, Child Molesters, and I don't see any Country invading our Shores trying to help us. Leave Now. When they get tired of Killing Each other, they will lay down together and create a new and better Country. Again we cannot be the WORLD POLICE.
TyronE, We are not being held hostage for oil by them. We are being held hostage by our own people who think that we shouldn't use fossil fuels. But these same people drive cars and use electric. We are held hostage by our government who 's policies keep us from drilling for oil on our own land but let oil companies drill a mile below the surface of the ocean were it is harder to make sure it is safe. We are held Hostage by ourselves because we don't want that nuclear reactor near us! We all want what we want but we all don't want to sacrafice to get it. Hell farmers in Ohio don't want wind mills because it ruins the view. We all need to suck it up and do what it takes to keep our way of life. It can be done and without major safety and ecological concerns. We can move towards green energy but not overnight. Our economy needs to be held intact as we do it. We put a man on the moon and we have sent vehicals to the surface of Mars. America needs to roll up it's sleeves and put on our big boy pants!
when your computer doesn't make sense you reboot it. Maybe its time to pull out of all these countries killing our people (and theirs) and let them reboot. When the dust clears so will the playing field. It shouldn't take long. Then we can go back and help whoever or whatever is left. At least we'll know our enemies.
Oil - Fact - We export than we import....
Holy War - Muslim culture - They can burn Christian churches, burn bibles, behead priest and nuns, burn Christians, but don't mention Mohammed... Getting to be old recycled news just like the Kardashian sisters....
Time to regroup - If the leaders don't cooperate - take our toys and pull out.
We lost over 55,000 in Vietnam - Thought we would learn by now.
Without US funding - most of these countries would collapse - Let them...
Hmmm, so does she (the bomber) get her bunch of virgins in the sky too??? Seems like having 70 male virgins would be less desirable, only about 30 minutes of action total.
No wonder they don't like movie theaters in the middle east..they take everything so serious..a Three Stooges movie would have them rioting!
Muslim's are just blood thirsty, crazed, uncivilized people who should not inhabit the earth. Soon there will be a global uprising and the eradication will begin.
First, get the troops out. Then push the red button. Then say ALLAH!!!!!!....It would be the only good thing Barry did since being elected!!
so sad to see so much hate,death and destruction,caused by one or a few and blamed on whole nations,,be ashamed..
Reciprocity seems in order. Anyone bound for Dearborn?
I'm sure Obumer will blame it on the Video. Can not wait till November !!!
The film was out for ages and I have seen worse on the internet, this was planned for a long time, heard a soldier who said there was no riots or anything else going on when the ambassador was murdered in a planned attack, obama couldn't lead a girl scout troop. He is in on it, A islamist with the agenda to destroy the U.S. for his god allah, anyone who thinks not isn't very bright and drunk on the cool-aid. Obozo can quote the quran like a champ but, distorts the book he knows nothing about, the Bible. He is a islamist and not a christian. Why doesn't he drill for oil here? Easy that would hurts his brothers in the middle east.
The muslim world can say anything they want about Jesus and Christianity, but dont you dare say anything about their prophet. what a bunch of hate munglers . and the US government gives them aid and money. you do not cause harm to anyone over a movie that even the american people dont like either. it was wrong to make but as someone said, they hate us because they hate us. not because of a movie. this was the perfect excuse to do harm to someone they hate.
You're confused Julea, abusing free speech is defined such as yelling fire in a movie theatre as a prank. Where do you draw the line? For instance if there were a movie based upon a Muslim girl happily marrying a devoutly Christian man, which would be very offensive to a Muslim family, should such a movie be banned in your definition of free speech abuse?