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The wave of assassinations continues to rock Afghanistan in recent months – earlier three female Army Officers killed in similar incident in Balkh province
AT News
KABUL: Two female judges of the Supreme Court were shot dead in Kabul on Sunday morning in the latest in a series of attacks on prosecutors, doctors, women’s rights activities, journalists and government officials.
The women were targeted by unknown gunmen while they were on their way to office, Kabul Police said. The shooting, which seems to be a systematic massacre of young and talented new Afghan generation, happened in Taimani area in PD 10th, where their driver received injuries.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion has fallen on the Taliban for a recent wave of assassinations. However, the group all the time denied involvement in such attacks.
Kabul police said they have launched an investigation to find the culprits.
The grimy surface is that now female officials are on the target, despite the ongoing peace talks between the Kabul and Taliban peace delegations in Doha, the capital city of Qatar, to find a political settlement to end the conflict.
This is alarming as female officials were rarely a target over the last 19 years of the conflict. Recently three female Army Officers were shot dead in similar tactics of hit-and-run. Another two others, including the driver, received injuries after unknown gunmen opened fire on them in Balkh province.
Many social users, including journalists termed the assassination of two judges in a much protected areas an intelligence and security failures in capital city. The attackers, who were on motorbike having managed to flee the area, amplifying a deadly string of assassinations continues in Kabul.
President Ashraf Ghani strongly condemned the terrorist attack, saying “terrorist attacks by the Taliban or other groups on defenseless people are against Islamic principle and the spirit of the ongoing peace process. Mr. Ghani also called it in contradiction with the national consensus on the peace process.
“Islamic Republic of Afghanistan once again calls on the Taliban that terror and crimes are not the solution, and the group should agree for a comprehensive ceasefire to reveal their will for peace,” his office quoted him as saying in a statement.
“The United States condemns today’s (Sunday) assassinations of female supreme court judges and calls for a prompt investigation. My condolences to the families of the victims and wishes for a speedy recovery to those injured, Ross Wilson, U.S Chargé d’Affaires said in a tweet.
He added, “The Taliban should understand that such actions for which it bears responsibility outrage the world and must cease if peace is to come to Afghanistan.”
Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan, Wang Yu in a tweet said, “Judges are the representatives of justice. We are shocked by the attack on two female judges this morning. Our deepest condolences to their families. May peace come soon.’
“We condemn the murder of two judges this morning in Kabul. We are appalled by targeted killings in Afghanistan. Civil servants, journalists, academics, and all other citizens trying to rebuild Afghanistan are not targets. Cease this despicable violence!” Australian Embassy in Kabul said in a tweet.
“The murder of these women judges is horrific. Anyone who is committed to peace should raise their voices to condemn such heinous acts. Justice must prevail; parties to the Afghan peace process must prevent senseless violence. My condolences to the families for this painful loss,” Canada Ambassador to Afghanistan Reid Sirrs said in a tweet.
It’s worth mentioning that Sunday’s attack came two days after the US announced it has reduced US troops to 2,500, the lowest level since 2001.
