7 Afghan civilians were killed and 91 were wounded as a suicide car bomb exploded near the main gate of the NATO-led international military mission in Kabul. The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the bombing. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid signified the claim and proceeded to describe the explosives that weighed 1,100 pounds or 500 kilograms that was brought by their suicide bomber named Ahmad.

The attack was carried out in a heavily-guarded neighborhood where the U.S. Embassy and the Afghan presidential palace are also located. According to Capt. Elizabeth Mathias, a U.S. spokeswoman for the NATO-led mission, the explosion occurred near the gate of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

The NATO headquarters had been designed to have several large cement blocks and steel gates meant to prevent unauthorized outsiders to reach the entrance. Although the suicide bomber was able to go past several lines of Afghan police, he was not able to cross the barriers. He was able, though, to detonate his explosives at the doorstep to the international military mission. The blast was the first major attack in Kabul since February.

The much-awaited Afghan elections will be held on Thursday. Security in Kabul had been intensified. Much so since the Taliban have threatened to disrupt the elections and inflict violence to any Afghan who participates in the elections.

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Via BBC

Fifty year old Natalia Estemirova was a human rights campaigner working with Memorial, the Russian human rights organisation which investigated human rights violations both in Chechnya and Russia. She has documented hundreds of human rights abuse in Chechnya and was a well known regional expert. She was a close friend and colleague of famous human rights activist Anna Politkovskaya and ironically met the same fate. She was shot dead in North Caucasus.

Russia-Chechnya conflict was one of the bloodiest one in the history of the world. Natalia documented civilian casualties of the second Chechen War and was even awarded for her brave work by members of European Parliament. She also received inaugural Anna Politkovskaya award instituted by Reach All Women in War Campaign group after shocking killing of Anna Politkovskaya in Moscow in 2006.

She carried forward the same work with grit and determination in spite of being aware of grim and dangerous consequences. Helping the victims of war and violence was her single driving force. She was collecting evidences about house-burnings by government backed militia before she was abducted and brutally killed. Truth will reveal itself. But unfortunately many brave activists have to die while unmasking bitter realities of war and exposing government’s role in human rights abuses.

Via BBC