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Afghanistan captures mastermind of Kabul university attack

WION Web Team
Kabul, AfghanistanUpdated: Nov 14, 2020, 02:15 PM IST
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Kabul University (representative image). Photograph:(AFP)

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Several militants had stormed classrooms and gunned down dozens of students on November 2, and at least 22 people were killed and another 27 wounded.

Afghan forces have captured the mastermind of a brutal attack on Kabul University.

Several militants had stormed classrooms and gunned down dozens of students on November 2, and at least 22 people were killed and another 27 wounded.

"The mastermind behind Kabul University attack has been arrested," Vice President Amrullah Saleh announced on his Facebook page.

The attack, which had ended after the three attackers were killed in fighting, was planned by a militant called Adil, Saleh said, adding he was recruited by the Haqqani network, Saleh said giving only one name of the arrested man.

"The attack was carried out to pressure, defame and make the government look weak in front of the people," Saleh said.

Adil, who had been a student of the Islamic sharia law, hailed from the province of Panjshir but his family lived on the outskirts of Kabul.

"Adil had been missing for three years amid rumours that he had gone to receive training in war and fighting," Saleh said.

During his questioning, Adil revealed that he had received weapons from Haqqani network to carry out the attack. The shadowy Haqqani network, an affiliate of the Taliban, has long been accused of carrying out brutal assaults of Western forces and civilians, and has been branded a terrorist group by Washington.

Soon after the attack, Saleh and other top officials had blamed the Taliban for the university attack. However, the attack was claimed by the Islamic State group.

The brazen daylight assault came amid surging violence across the country that has only worsened in recent months despite the government holding peace talks with the Taliban in Qatar.