Attack at the Ministry of Culture to Challenge Ongoing Peace Efforts

Last week’s[1] suicide attack at the Ministry of Information and Culture in Kabul by the Taliban raises serious questions about the capabilities of the national security forces to prevent such attacks on government institutions. Four people were killed as a result of this strike[2]. The attack coincided with the hosting of an Afghan-Pakistani mini-jirga (jirgagai) in Islamabad aimed at finding solutions to the current situation. This jirgagai concluded that the governments of both Afghanistan and Pakistan should engage in dialogue with the insurgency, and that a ‘convening’ committee should be created to facilitate communication with anti-governmental forces in order to achieve a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict. The Ministry of Information attack was a blatant message to the Jirga participants that insurgents pay no heed to these ongoing peace-building efforts.

The attack has struck fear among civil servants working for government offices as well as among ordinary citizens in the capital. The suicide bomber in this instance entered the ministry, shooting his way through to the media hall where he blew himself up. Concerns have arisen due to the Taliban’s ability in this case to breach the defenses of a city-central and protected government building. These concerns have led to calls to re-assess the Taliban’s capability. The Information Ministry attack underscores the enormous scope of the challenge faced by the Afghan government with regard to providing daily security for government employees and the rest of the citizenry alike.

The phenomenon of the suicide attack in Afghanistan is a relatively new tactic of militants, having emerged since the fall of the Taliban regime. Since 2001-2002, which recorded two attacks total, suicide attack numbers have increased exponentially to 21 such incidents in 2005, and reached their highest peak in 2007 with 143 recorded incidents. With last week’s attack, the number of suicide attacks this year has reached 100. Although the figure for this year shows a drop in the number of attacks compared to last year, the threat remains, and the year is not yet out.

Despite widespread condemnation of suicide attacks by religious authorities in Afghanistan, militants continue to use suicide attacks on the Afghan government and the international forces. Last week’s suicide attack was particularly significant because the target’s location in the heart of the city. The Ministry of Information and Culture is located in one of the most crowded areas of the city and is protected by security guards. The ministry building is attached to the Ministry of Communication and the Spinzar Hotel. It is a mere hundred yards away from the presidential palace. The attack could have brought down this entire block and would have caused a far greater number of casualties had the explosives been stronger.

Moreover, last week’s attack took place despite recent international attempts to stem the tide of violence in the country through negotiation with insurgent groups. The Information Ministry attack substantiates the widely held belief that while a peace negotiation should be encouraged; it will do very little in the short-term to bring down the threats of insurgency and terrorism in the country.

The Taliban took responsibility for the Ministry of Information attack immediately after it took place. This conveyed a clear message to the parties involved in the negotiation efforts that their peace building strategy may come to naught, and that they should reassess their efforts and re-think about ways to fight insurgency in Afghanistan.

Despite the fact that the Taliban are at the center of the insurgency movement in Afghanistan, the sweep of the insurgency is much broader than the Taliban leadership alone, and the associated terrorist organizations that emerged within the insurgency structure make up a significant network of ideological and political influence over the Taliban insurgency at different levels.

It is very doubtful that a peace deal with the Taliban leadership will significantly lower the threat from insurgency. This means that terrorism will continue to frustrate the Afghans even if the Taliban leadership enters into a peace deal with the central government. Of course, the attack on the Ministry of Information and Culture conveyed a clear message that the Taliban are also not eager to join a peace agreement. The peace effort actors need to guard themselves against placing too much stead in the outcome of the peace negotiations. The peace efforts should be accompanied by extensive use of military means to tackle the insurgency at current situation.



[1] Suicide attack at the Ministry of Information and Culture of Afghanistan, Deh Afghanan, Kabul, October 30, 2008.
[2] Laura King, Los Angeles Times, October 30, 2008.