Hekmatyar's group blames Northern Alliance for Indian Embassy suicide attack

Peshawar, July 16 : The Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan (HIA), a hard-line mujahideen group led by former Afghan Prime Minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, has blamed the Northern Alliance (NA) for the last week's suicide attack on Indian embassy in Kabul killing 58 persons, including four Indians.

In a statement, the HIA said that the Alliance backed such terrorist attacks due to its animosity towards Pakistan.

However, the statement dismissed the allegations by Afghan President Hamid Karzai that Pakistan was behind the attack, the Daily Times reported.

"Certain leaders holding positions in Karzai's cabinet belonged to the NA. Those (NA) people want to create differences between India and Pakistan with such tactics," the statement added.

Over 50 persons were killed and more than 141 people were injured, including civilians and security forces in the blast. A suicide bomber had rammed a car full of explosives into the gates of the Indian embassy.

About 3,000 Indians are working on various reconstruction and developmental projects in Afghanistan and the Taliban has often subjected them to attacks.

ANI