5 Afghan children die in Kandahar blasts - Air Force News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Air Force Times

5 Afghan children die in Kandahar blasts

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — President Hamid Karzai condemned the "enemies of Afghanistan" on Wednesday after a series of roadside bombs in southern Kandahar city killed nine people, including five children, as insurgents fight back against intensified NATO-led operations.

Bombs targeting a police vehicle ripped through an intersection Tuesday night, the Interior Ministry said, killing nine and injuring 30, including many police. The attack occurred a day after four officers died in coordinated bombings also aimed at police.

Control of Kandahar, the Taliban movement's birthplace, is seen as key to reversing Taliban momentum in the war. Afghan and NATO forces are engaged in a major operation to improve security in and around Kandahar to keep insurgents from staging attacks inside the city.

However, Taliban militants are fighting back hard against U.S. and Afghan forces as they push into areas long held by insurgents.

"President Karzai strongly condemns the multiple explosions in Kandahar city that killed a number of civilians, including children," a statement from the president's office said Wednesday. "The enemies of Afghanistan, far from following Islamic principles, are targeting civilians including children."

The Taliban have intensified a campaign targeting police as well as local officials in response to the joint NATO-Afghan operation, dubbed Operation Dragon Strike.

Several explosions minutes apart killed four Afghan police officers in the city Monday night. When police gathered to tend to the wounded after the first blast, two more explosions went off.

Noor Ahman, deputy mayor in Kandahar, was also killed in an insurgent attack Monday, and later in the day, Habibullah Aghonzada, a former district chief in Arghistan, was gunned down by assailants as he prayed at a packed mosque.

NATO described the two as "dedicated public servants who sought to improve the lives of their fellow countrymen."

The Taliban said Tuesday the NATO-led operation was doomed to fail.

"America is operating in the districts of Kandahar, but the result will be that they will walk out with blood-filled, empty hands," Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef said. "They could not achieve victory in nearly a decade ... this shows they never will."

Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said the operation was scattering insurgents from the restive region.

"Dragon Strike is continuing to put the pressure on these guys. Those who have remained and dug in and who are determined to fight are feeling enormous pressure ... The Taliban is clearly feeling it."

Meanwhile, the military alliance announced Tuesday an insurgent involved in the kidnapping of a New York Times reporter was captured in northern Afghanistan. The unidentified militant was apprehended by Afghan and coalition security forces in Takhar province overnight Monday, a statement said.

The insurgent was linked to senior Taliban and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leaders in northern Afghanistan and Pakistan, NATO said. He "terrorized the local populace," and targeted police and local officials in attacks, it said.

Journalist Stephen Farrell and his translator were taken hostage in September 2009 when they went to cover a NATO airstrike of two hijacked fuel tankers that killed scores of Afghan civilians. British commandos rescued Farrell in a raid, but the translator and a British commando were killed in the operation.

Separately, NATO reported Tuesday a service member died in a homemade bomb explosion in the south. The coalition did not disclose the nationality or provide additional details of the death.

The NATO coalition is also fighting an uphill battle to win the allegiance of people in Kandahar.

"When only the Taliban were ruling our land there was peace and tranquility. Since the Americans have set foot on our land, we don't have work and our health is no better," said Naseebullah Ghamjam, a 38-year-old laborer. "All we have seen is that Americans have constructed exceptionally massive compounds for themselves."

Azizullah Saiyal, 29, who drives heavy vehicles in Zhari district outside of Kandahar, said citizens have little trust in the international community or Afghan government officials.

"We hear that millions and billions of dollars are coming in our country, but where does all of the money go?" he asked. "I believe these years of war and loss of innocent lives makes it obvious that war can never bring in peace. We should start looking for alternatives now."

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Associated Press writer Rahim Faeiz contributed to this report from Kabul.