Afghan ambassador in ‘deep shock at loss of good people’ in Kandahar terror attack

Abdul Farid Zikria said the UAE ambassador to his country, Juma Al Kaabi, who was injured in the attack, is a very good friend of his and that he is saddened by the loss of life.

Flags fly at half mast at the Abu Dhabi Municipality office to mourn the five Emiratis killed in a bombing in Kandaha on Tuesday. Ravindranath K / The National

ABU DHABI // Shock and sadness are words the Afghan ambassador to the UAE used to describe his reaction to the Tuesday night attack that hit a UAE delegation in Kandahar.

Abdul Farid Zikria, who became the country’s first fully fledged ambassador to the UAE when he took office in 2004, said the UAE ambassador to his country, Juma Al Kaabi, who was injured in the attack, is a very good friend of his.

“He and his colleagues went to the south-west province of Afghanistan to inaugurate an orphanage,” he said. “When they returned to the governor’s residence, unfortunately this terrorist act happened.”

The attack, which took place at about 7pm Afghan time (30 minutes ahead of the UAE), was reportedly planned a day or two earlier, with an explosive device planted in the residence’s meeting room.

As a result, 11 people, including five Emiratis, were killed and many others injured.

“We are in deep shock,” Mr Zikria said. “I knew them all and they were very good people. It’s a very unfortunate situation.”

He said he did not believe the attack was directed against the UAE.

“We understand who is behind it,” said Mr Zikria. “It was like any terrorist act where they target people and killing is their goal. Unfortunately, Afghanistan is at the forefront in the fight against terrorism and innocent people are getting killed almost daily in the country. Just yesterday, two terrorist acts in Kabul killed close to 50 people, so it’s a menace and we all should get together and fight against it.”

The UAE ambassador was said to have injured a leg and suffered several burns.

“The delegation went to that city for a very noble cause,” Mr Zikria said. “As far as I remember, it is the first time a UAE delegation got hit there. The delegation was probably in the wrong place at the wrong time because the point is that terrorists don’t distinguish between people. To them, Afghan, non-Afghan, UAE citizen or not, is not important.”

There are more than 20 terrorist groups active in Afghanistan and the region, including the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

“We have all been telling the world audience that terrorism is something that will affect all of us sooner or later and we all have to get together and fight it,” Mr Zikria said. “You can’t have one nation who supports sanctuaries for terrorists and [expect] their neighbours to be safe and secure, it’s almost impossible.”

The injured Emiratis are expected to arrive in the UAE “at any moment” as well as those who perished. A team from the Emirates is also expected to fly to Afghanistan to conduct investigations with its Afghan counterparts. It was unclear whether the embassy in Kabul would remain open.

“We have a very deep relationship,” Mr Zikria said. “Both countries are brothers and, historically, Afghanistan is the only country in the region that has a very close relationship with its Arab brothers, especially in the Gulf.”

Work between the two countries has been extensive in recent years, with a number of humanitarian projects set up by the UAE in Afghanistan.

“We are very grateful for the UAE’s help,” he said. “It has always helped Afghanistan during very tough times. When a superpower like the USSR invaded [us], the UAE supported the Afghan people.”

In the past 15 years, the UAE has been among the 10 countries in the world providing the most support in rebuilding Afghanistan.

“It has been very helpful and we are looking towards the UAE and other countries in the region for their investment in Afghanistan,” Mr Zikria said.

“We think we have a shared future with countries in the Gulf and the president had very positive discussions with the rulers here, especially with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, so we are hoping the brotherly relationship will be strengthened.”

Afghan president Ashraf Ghani called Sheikh Khalifa, the President, on Wednesday to offer his condolences.