Camel Kicks US Soldier In A Hectic 24 Hours In Afghanistan

NEW DELHI: It has been a newsworthy 24 hours in Afghanistan: Former President Hamid Karzai, on the eve of the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, questioned the existence of al-Qaeda and denied that the 2001 terror attacks were masterminded in Afghanistan; a Dutch aid worker who was kidnapped in Kabul three months ago was freed, the Dutch foreign ministry said Thursday; the Taliban attacked a US base on Thursday; and a video showing a camel roundly kicking a soldier in Afghanistan is being circulated on social media -- perhaps as a reminder that what goes around comes around.

Hamid Karzai, in an interview with Al Jazeera, said: “I don’t know if al-Qaida existed and I don’t know if they exist… I have not seen them and I’ve not had any report about them, any report that would indicate that al-Qaida is operating in Afghanistan. It is for me a myth […] For us, they don’t exist.” When asked if he agreed that al-Qaida in Afghanistan had been behind the 9/11 attacks, Karzai said: “I can tell you for a fact that the operation was neither conducted from Afghanistan, nor were the Afghan people responsible for that.”

Meanwhile, a Dutch aid worker, Anja de Beer, who was kidnapped in Kabul was released after three months in captivity. A statement from the Netherlands Foreign Ministry reads: “Today Anja de Beer, held in captivity in Afghanistan as a hostage since 22 June 2015, was released. The Dutch embassy in Kabul is providing consular assistance. Ms De Beer is doing well under the circumstances. Ms De Beer herself informed her family of the good news. Foreign minister Bert Koenders welcomed the release. ‘I’m pleased to hear that Anja de Beer has been released, putting an end to 81 long days of uncertainty. I spoke with her, and it was very reassuring to hear she is in good health’, he said. The Netherlands has consistently reminded the Afghan authorities of their responsibility to ensure Ms De Beer's safety and release. Minister Koenders has conveyed the gratitude of the Dutch government to the Afghan authorities.”

De Beer, who worked for the Swiss aid group Helvetas, did not know where she had been held hostage or by whom.

Also on Thursday, the Taliban fired a series of missiles into a US base in Bagram district in Parwan province. Three rockets hit inside the base, said Massum Farzahee, the police chief of the district, but there were no injuries amongst the soldiers at the base. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in a text message to The Associated Press.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan on Thursday, a roadside bomb killed five police officers in central Ghazni province. Asadullah Ensafi, the province's deputy police chief, said that the blast was caused by a remote controlled bomb. No one claimed responsibility for the attack but officials have said that they believe that the Taliban was involved.

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense released a statement on Thursday, saying that fighting between Taliban and security forces in several provinces killed 94 Taliban fighters in the span of the last 48 hours. The statement noted that 12 Afghan military personnel had been killed in roadside bombs or other attacks during the same period.

Meanwhile, a video showing a camel kicking a US soldier is being circulated on social media -- perhaps representing the sentiments of the Afghan people to developments that have made the above scenario of attacks and violence a regular day in Afghanistan.

Watch the video here: