Taliban launches spring campaign with Kabul attack

Suicide bombers killed 14 people and injured another 30 in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday morning. A car bomber detonated an SUV just as the Supreme Court closed for the day, targeting court employees as they headed home for the evening.

Although Afghanistan keeps rigid security around its capital city, determined terrorists have infiltrated the city twice in two days. Yesterday, seven Taliban fighters with rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns launched an assault on NATO’s operational headquarters at the military section of Kabul’s international airport. Bombers also attacked a provincial council building and killed a Polish NATO soldier on Monday.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for every attack. In declaring its spring campaign, the group announced it would target Afghan and coalition forces, as well as government officials around the country. Militants justified Tuesday’s attacks, saying they must fight “cruel judges” who do the bidding of foreign powers.

The Taliban attacks appeared to target civilian morale, making citizens doubt the ability of Afghan security forces to protect them. Afghanistan is taking over control of its security as U.S.-led coalition troops continue to withdraw. By 2014, almost all foreign troops will be out of Afghanistan.

Despite the successful Taliban attacks, Afghan president Hamid Karzai expressed confidence: “These cowardly terrorist attacks on the Afghan people cannot change the chosen path of the Afghan people toward progress, development, peace and elections.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.