Today, on the eve of a conference on security transition at the Hotel Intercontinental in Kabul, a six plus hours long attack on the hotel by a few Taliban occurred. It again demonstrated the lack of Afghan and international forces capabilities to provide security within Kabul. But reading the news will not necessarily give that impression.
WaPo: Landmark Kabul hotel attacked by Taliban suicide bombers
In recent weeks, Taliban insurgents and suicide bombers have staged several attacks in Kabul after a long lull.
Reuters: Police search Kabul hotel after Taliban attack kills 9
There have been insurgent attacks at a hotel, guesthouse and a supermarket in Kabul over the past year, although the capital has been relatively quiet compared with the rest of the country.
Either these journalists have no access to any archives or they do not use them. On a second thought they may be involved in willful deception of their readers.
Despite very high security around high profile targets, lots of security forces in the city and a ring of steel around it, attacks in Kabul are frequent, have high visibility and are mostly successful (see below for examples).
As the International Crisis Group said in a recent report:
Despite efforts to combat the insurgency in the south, stability in the centre has steadily eroded. Yet, with nearly one fifth of the population residing in Kabul and its surrounding provinces, the Afghan heartland is pivotal to the planned transition from international troops to Afghan forces at the end of 2014.
Scholar Gilles Dorronsoro in his latest Carnegie paper explains what happened.
The U.S. surge troops mostly went to the south to attack irrelevant countrysides like Marjah. Meanwhile the troops in the east, especially in the Pech valley, gave up several blocking outposts. This opened the land route from the tribal areas of Pakistan towards Kabul. The surrounding districts of the city are now in the hands of the shadow Taliban government.
Having given up its outposts in and around the Pech valley the military is now launching large air assaults into the region to regain some control. It hopes that the Afghan army will be able to hold any regained territory there. That is unlikely to be the case. The Soviets during their occupation of Afghanistan unsuccessfully used the same tactic.
Kabul will not be overrun. But the frequent and high profile attacks there undermine whatever little legitimacy and support the Afghan state and the occupation has left.
It follows an incomplete list of recent high profile attacks in Kabul:
Deadly Kabul attack is first in capital for months – December 19 2010
Insurgents opened fire on a bus carrying the officers on the main road from Kabul to the eastern city of Jalalabad, in the first fatal attack in the Afghan capital since May, when six foreign troops were killed by a large suicide car bomb.
Suicide bomber strikes in Kabul; intelligence officers apparent target – January 2 2011
A suicide bomber riding a motorcycle blew up in Kabul on Wednesday morning, killing two Afghans and injuring at least 32 others, according to NATO and Afghan officials.
The rush-hour attack apparently targeted a busload of commuting Afghan intelligence officers.
Deadly bomb attack in Kabul – January 28 2011
A suicide bomber is being blamed for killing at least six people in Kabul when a bomb tore through a supermarket popular with foreigners. Jon Decker reports.
Guards Thwart, Die in Suicide Attack on Kabul Hotel Complex – February 14 2011
A suicide bomber detonated explosives at the entrance of an upscale mall and hotel in Kabul Monday afternoon, leaving twisted metal and broken glass at a venue frequented by foreigners and wealthy Afghans. The lunchtime blast at the newly renovated Kabul City Center shopping mall and Safi Landmark hotel killed two security guards.
Burkha-clad insurgents attack Kabul base, both killed – April 2 2011
Insurgents clad in burkhas attacked a coalition base in Kabul with guns and rocket-propelled grenades on Saturday, but were killed either when they detonated their explosives or by Afghan or coalition fire outside the entrance, NATO and police said.
Three "friendly forces" — NATO or Afghan troops — were lightly wounded in the assault on Camp Phoenix, a large base near the capital's airport, but no civilians or soldiers were killed.
Martyr attack in Kabul kills at least 35 local minions: Taliban – April 15 2011
Some thirty five policemen of the puppets were killed or wounded in a martyrdom attack carried out by a Mujahid, Zubair, resident of Paktia province as he rammed his explosive-filled vehicle into the intelligence headquarter in Musahi district of Kabul province on Thursday.
The incident came as the minions were busy doing their routine training with the chief of the police and the intelligence officer in their respective offices; it is, however, not yet confirmed whether the chief of police or the intelligence officer have been killed or wounded but, whereas severe enemy military vehicles parked within the facility have been destroyed during the operation.
Afghan Pilot Kills Foreign Soldiers in Airport Attack Claimed by Taliban – April 27 2011
An Afghan air force pilot opened fire after a dispute at Kabul’s airport, killing eight foreign troops and a contractor, NATO forces said.
Afghanistan: Kabul hospital hit by suicide bomber – May 21 2011
A suicide bomb attack on a hospital in the Afghan capital, Kabul, has left six people dead and 23 wounded.
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The hospital treats Afghan military personnel and is in a heavily fortified part of the city, yards from the US embassy and international forces HQ.
Recent Suicide Attack in Kabul – June 18 2011
Kabul gun battle that lasted for about two hours on Saturday afternoon took the lives of 9 people, including two policemen while 12 others were wounded in the attack, security officials say.
Taliban Attack On Landmark Kabul Hotel Kills 12, Injures 18 – today
Taliban suicide bombers and gunmen attacked the Hotel Inter-Continental Kabul overnight on June 28-29, killing at least 12 people before being killed by Afghan and international security forces.
