URUZGAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Insurgents armed a 12-year-old child with a suicide vest in a targeted attempt to attack a coalition government development official in Chora district, March 26.
The official and three members of coalition forces were walking to a nearby coalition camp after attending a governance shura when the child ran toward the men and detonated the suicide vest. The blast killed the child instantly and caused non-life-threatening injuries to each of the four men.
Coalition special operations forces quickly arrived on scene to help treat and evacuate the injured. An element of 20 Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition special operations forces joined forces in an attempt to locate a male who reportedly guided the child up to attack the men before fleeing the scene. Afghan security officials continue to investigate the incident and search for the suspect.
“Witnesses questioned on scene agreed the development official appeared to be the target of the attack,” said a coalition special operations forces representative.
The use of a child in the Chora attack does not appear to be an isolated incident as other recent incidents throughout the province demonstrate insurgents are attempting to use other children in similar attacks designed to target district and provincial government officials.
“We’ve seen insurgents become increasingly desperate to find supporters of their cause,” said Cmdr. Michael Hayes, Special Operations Task Force South East commander. “They’re now luring innocent children to blow themselves up in order to attack those working to bring peace to the province and country.”
Insurgents continue using improvised explosive devices to target government officials.
On March 24, an IED blast in Tarin Kowt district killed Haji Khairo Jan, a close confidante of both Omar Sherzad, Uruzgan provincial governor, and Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Jan was traveling in a vehicle with three security personnel and one tribal elder when a remote-controlled IED detonated killing all the passengers.
Jan also previously served as the Tarin Kowt mayor and a provincial senator. Afghan officials are currently investigating the incident.
“This is the third murder of government officials this year in Tarin Kowt,” Hayes said. “The attacks show insurgents are threatened by GIRoA and the success of the partnership between the Afghan government and coalition forces.”
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