Militant involved in Kabul attack blames Haqqanis for assault: Afghan Govt.

Kabul, Apr 16(ANI): A militant arrested for launching attacks on Kabul and three other cities has confessed that it was carried out by the Haqqani network, a top Afghan security official has said.

Afghan Interior Minister Besmillah Mohammadi said thirty- six insurgents were killed during the 18-hour long encounter that also claimed the lives of eight policemen and three civilians.

"The terrorists tried to harm the process of transferring security to the Afghan forces, but they are not able to do it. They want to create fear among the people," The News quoted Mohammadi, as saying.

He said eight Afghan security officials and three civilians were killed in the attacks and several others wounded in the attacks launched on Kabul alongwith the capitals of eastern Paktia, Logar and Nangarhar provinces.

It was the most widespread attack since an assault on the U.S. Embassy and NATO headquarters in 2011, which was also blamed on the Haqqani network.

Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said dozens of suicide attackers and gunmen were involved in the attacks that had been planned for two months to showcase the insurgency's power. NATO officials had earlier described the Taliban weak, and said plan on their part to launch a spring offensive. (ANI)