By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Taliban groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan have both claimed credit for a suicide bombing that killed seven CIA officers in Afghanistan, but experts say evidence appears to point to Afghan Taliban.
The varying claims of responsibility from the two groups may be both complementary and competitive as militants seek to spread the word and attract fresh donations and recruits, CNN said Sunday citing analysts. The attack occurred at Forward Operating Base Chapman, located in Khost Province near the border of Pakistan, which a US intelligence official acknowledged was a crucial CIA post and a “hub of activity.”
Reva Bhalla, director of analysis for Stratfor, an international intelligence company, told CNN initial reports indicated a local tribesman gained the trust of the foreign operatives by providing information needed for missile strikes by unmanned drones in the border region.
Eventually, the tribesman – essentially a double agent – became an operative by carrying out the bombing, Bhalla said. She stressed her information was unverified, but said it pointed to an Afghani Taliban operation.
The attack was “a huge blow, symbolically and tactically,” because it eliminated such a large number of CIA officers who can require years to become ingrained in the region, Bhalla said. In addition, the attack showed the ability of the Taliban to penetrate perhaps the most difficult of targets-a CIA base, she said.
“It’s a tremendous boost for any group out there that can claim killing CIA” officers, Richard Barrett, coordinator of the United Nations Taliban and Al Qaeda Monitoring Team told CNN.
Among the Taliban and other Islamic extremists fighting US forces, the CIA is considered one of the most enviable targets because it represents a hidden force attacking militant leadership, Barrett was quoted as saying.
In addition, a suicide bombing is a “more daring and successful operation” than a roadside bomb, further enhancing the reputation of those believed to have pulled it off, Barrett said.
The fluidity of Taliban networks means that even though different people are claiming responsibility, they could represent the same general cause and complement each other in raising their profile while boosting recruiting and attracting more donations, according to Barrett.
For the Pakistani Taliban, claiming credit for the attack also could bring the desired goal of increased US military activity against Taliban and Al Qaeda targets in Pakistan, Bhalla said.
US attacks by unmanned drones and other military support in Pakistan are politically volatile, threatening stability as the Pakistani Taliban seeks to undermine the government, she said.
“We’ve seen how the [Pakistani Taliban] has been able to exploit drone attacks” for recruiting purposes, Bhalla said.
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at [email protected])