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Afghan Army Officers Fired For Negligence Over Kabul Attack


An Afghan soldier guards the site of an attack near the Marshal Fahim Military Academy in Kabul on January 29.
An Afghan soldier guards the site of an attack near the Marshal Fahim Military Academy in Kabul on January 29.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani says seven Afghan army officers, including two generals, have been dismissed for "professional negligence" during a recent deadly attack on a Kabul military base.

Ghani announced the firings in a Twitter message on February 6, saying that all seven officers had been "referred for further investigations."

At least five attackers, including gunmen and suicide bombers, launched the predawn raid against the base on January 29 -- killing 11 soldiers and wounding 16.

The attack on the Afghan National Army base was claimed by Islamic State (IS) extremist militants.

Ghani's U.S.-backed government is under growing public pressure to improve security in Kabul after a series of attacks that have shown the ability of the Taliban and IS militants to strike at the Afghan capital.

Since January 20, militants in Kabul have attacked a luxury hotel, bombed a crowded street, and carried out the raid on the military compound -- killing more than 130 people.

Kabul remains on high alert for more attacks.

Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security on February 6 seized a truck that the spy agency said was carrying 2 tons of materials that could be used to make bombs.

With reporting by AFP and dpa

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