5 UAE martyrs in Kandahar blast named; UAE ambassador to Afghanistan injured

President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has mourned, with deep sorrow and grief, the death of a number of UAE's sons who died Tuesday evening as a result of the terrorist bombing which took place at the headquarters of the Governor of Kandahar in Afghanistan, the official agency WAM stated on Wednesday.

The five UAE martyrs have been named on Wednesday as:  Mohammad Ali Zainal Al Bastaki, Abdullah Mohammad Eisa Obaid Al Kaabi, Ahmad Rashid Salim Ali Al Mazroui, Ahmad Abdul Rahman Ahmad Al Tunaiji, and Abdul Hamid Sultan Abdullah Ibrahim Al Hammadi.

They were on a mission to carry out humanitarian, educational and development projects in the Republic of Afghanistan.

His Highness Shaikh Khalifa prayed to Allah Almighty to bestow mercy and forgiveness upon them.

Attack condemned

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Wednesday condemned the attack, with Tweets stating: “There is no human or moral or religious reason for bombing and killing those who want to help the people. God bless our martyrs.”

He added: Five martyrs died trying to help poor people and children in Kandahar. Emirati people are proud of them and offer them for the sake of humanity, which terrorists can't understand.”

Heinous terror attack

The UAE foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday said:  "(The ministry) is following the heinous terrorist attack on the guesthouse of the Kandahar governor which resulted in the injury of his excellency Juma Mohammad Abdullah Al Kaabi, UAE Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and a number of Emirati diplomats," the statement said.

The attack on Tuesday took place during a meeting between senior Afghan officials and diplomats from the UAE embassy.

Afghan officials said the explosion killed at least seven people and wounded 18 others.

In follow-up, the ministry has set up a special operations room in conjunction with the UAE Armed Forces and the Afghan government.  

The diplomats, who were in Kandahar on a humanitarian mission, were expected to open a number of UAE-backed projects as part of an aid programme to Afghanistan.

source: GULF NEWS