Taliban Attack Leaves at Least 140 Dead; Public Mourning Declared in Afghanistan

The Taliban's attack on a military facility in Afghanistan near Mazar-i-Sharif has resulted in at least 140 deaths, marking it as the bloodiest assault by this militant group since the fall of the Taliban government in 2001. The Washington Post reported on Saturday, April 21, citing various conflicting statistics released so far, that at least 140 people were killed and 60 injured according to some Afghan officials. Radio Free Afghanistan also confirmed this figure from a military official in Balkh province, while official statistics show a significantly lower number of casualties. Initially, Afghan government officials reported only 8 deaths, which later rose to 50, and finally, the spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Defense stated that 100 people were killed in the attack. Eyewitnesses say the Taliban militants' assault on this military center lasted about six hours, targeting soldiers who were attending Friday prayers. This account is also reflected in a statement from Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, who noted that the attackers stormed the mosque of the 209th Shaheen Corps and targeted soldiers during their Friday prayers. The President declared Sunday a day of public mourning for the victims of this attack, emphasizing that the Afghan flag would be flown at half-mast both domestically and at Afghan diplomatic missions abroad. The Taliban forces managed to bypass the military center's checkpoint simply by wearing Afghan army uniforms, allowing them to reach unarmed Afghan soldiers at that moment. Reports describe this military center as the main base of the Afghan army in the northern part of the country, where NATO forces are also involved in training Afghan soldiers. However, no reports have emerged regarding the deaths of NATO forces as a result of this attack.