Thousands of gunmen hit Kabul streets, cause chaos

The gunmen drove in full speed from one part of the city to another on Sunday, firing various types of weap- KABUL,AFGHANISTAN — Ordions. In some parts, the firnary life came to a standstill ing was so intense that it was in the Afghan capital on Sunreminiscent of the civil war day with businesses largely era in Afghanistan. shut and many people forced Some of the young men to stay indoors as thousands were only kids — and some of young men brandishing were not even born — when knives and assault rifles took Massoud passed away. Sevto the streets and fired indis- eral chanted, “Long live Mascriminately, mostly into the soud.” air. Massoud’s family and old

The chaos, which lasted comrades distanced them- for more than eight hours, selves from the day’s events. further underlined the weakThe firing subsided and ness of U.S.-backed President some of the gunmen disAshraf Ghani’s government, persed when a suicide which is locked in deep inter- bomber on a motorcycle nal discord and is facing ristargeted part of the convoy ing militancy. in a central area of Kabul.

The firing — including Initial reports showed by masked teenagers ridthat three men in the coning in convoys of motorcy- voy were killed and 14 were cles and vehicles with tinted wounded, but officials said glasses — left at least 13 peo- the toll could rise. ple wounded, according to Earlier in the day, security the Public Health Ministry. forces said they opened fire

It was part of an annual and wounded a man seek- commemoration of the death ing to blow himself up in a anniversary of Ahmed Shah crowd of marchers at the Massoud, a top anti-Taliban memorial built for Massoud commander who was slain close to the U.S. Embassy. 17 years ago by suspected There was no immediate al-Qaida operatives posing claim of responsibility for as journalists. the reported attempt and the deadly blast, although the Islamic State has been behind such attacks in recent years in Afghanistan.

Police said they arrested scores of the marchers and seized some vehicles, actions that many dismissed as futile attempts by the government to demonstrate control of the situation.

With parliamentary polls next month and a presidential vote in April, the scenes on Sunday shocked many people.

“I think everyone has had enough,” Saad Mohseni, director of the MOBY Group and a man known as Afghanistan’s media mogul, said in a tweet.

“They can commemorate at a stadium or somewhere out of the city. Kabul, a city of 5 million, cannot get hijacked because of a few hundred people,” Mohseni wrote.

As the day was coming to an end, there were reports that dozens of security personnel had perished in Taliban attacks.

The deadliest one occurred in northern Baghlan province, where the militants overran an army base after hours of clashes.