NDS arrests mastermind behind 2019 attack on Saleh’s office

The National Directorate of Security (NDS) special unit has arrested one of the masterminds of the 2019 attack on the First Vice President Amrullah Saleh’s political party office.

According to a statement, the NDS arrested Obaidullah, who was using aliases – Farooq, Bilal, and Ibrahim.

The suspect was arrested in an NDS operation in PD3 of Kabul city while planning to assassinate Selai Ghafar, a female advocate and civil society activist, the NDS said in the statement.

The attack was carried out against Green Trend – a movement led by Saleh – while he was campaigning during the presidential elections as President Ashraf Ghani’s deputy.

A car bomb detonated at the entrance gate of Saleh’s office and a number of armed men entered the building.

At least 20 people were killed and more than 50 others were wounded in the attack.

The NDS said that Obaidullah had received directions from Mawlavi Nik Mohammad, a Haqqani Network leader, to carry out a suicide attack against Saleh.

“He (Obaidullah) had infiltrated the Green Trend as a member of the organization…later on per order of Mawlavi Nik Mohammad, several suicide bombers under the guise of Green Trend members had entered [the office] ,” the statement read.

“While planning an attack on Saleh’s office, Obaidullah was monitoring the place and timing the movement of foreign forces’ convoys in parts of Kabul,” the statement said.

The statement added that Obaidullah now however had orders to carry out attacks on vehicle convoys of President Ashraf Ghani, the vice presidents, Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, former NDS Chief Rahmatullah Nabil, civil society activists, media workers, and prominent figures.