The Jan. 18 brazen attacks that challenged a huge international and Afghan military presence in a heavily fortified Kabul and turned the whole city into chaos left many question marks behind: How did the well-armed insurgent group enter a city protected by so many checkpoints? The Taliban said there were 20 attackers and confirmed that 7 of them detonated themselves or killed by the security forces which means the remaining 13 were able to get back to where they had come from, without being challenged by the security forces. According to an account (in Pashto) by the coordinator of the attacks, Khalid Mujahid (?), who claims to be present in Pashtunistan Watt from where he directed the entire episode, ‘for some time the enemies had been propagating that by building a security belt around Kabul city they had completely blocked Mujahedeen’s way but the brave Mujahedeen of the Islamic Emirate proved this as a baseless claim.’

This person claims that on the morning of the attacks he dispatched all the attackers and deployed them on many locations as preplanned, and directed the first suicide bomber to attack the palace which he did on 09:47 AM. New York Times, quoting numerous accounts from shopkeepers in front of Paroshgah building, which was burned down during the attacks, reported that ‘two men wearing the large blanket-like shawls favored by Afghan men to keep out the winter chill entered the building and went up to the fourth or fifth floor. There, they threw off their cloaks, revealing heavy weapons, and told people to get out.’

This was not Kabul’s first experience of such attacks. A similar well-coordinated attack in early February last year, in which the militants had entered the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Interior, created panic and badly affected the daily routines. Exactly one year later, this attack, much more sophisticated than the last one, demonstrates how the government and its intelligence apparatus and security forces are vulnerable. After this, the corruption-hit, already frustrated citizens will never feel safe and secure. And corruption seems the source which the militants used to enter the city so easily. According to a fresh U.N. report, Afghans have paid 2.5 billion US dollars in bribes over the past 12 months.

Though the casualties were low, the attacks remained effective as they came on a very important time. Earlier this month, a BBC/ABC/ARD poll said Afghans were increasingly optimistic for the future. According to the poll, 70% of the respondents said the country was heading in the right direction. The Taliban wanted to show them that the government can’t protect them, thus it will result in changing of the perceptions for future. On the other hand, just one day before the frightening attacks, Waheed Omar, spokesman to the re-elected President Karzai, announced the government was making a new reconciliation plan in which it will offer jobs, security and other financial incentives to the Taliban followers who defect. The attacks will inevitably affect this plan. Also, the government and the international community is preparing for the London conference on Afghanistan which will mainly focus on security and development and governance. The brutal attacks had a clear message to this important international conference: the sooner and the stronger you act, the better!