The United States President Barack Obama's surprise visit to Afghanistan on Wednesday, which also marks the first death anniversary of Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, triggered attacks from the Taliban militants.
At least six people were killed on Wednesday morning after suicide car bomber and Taliban militants attacked a compound in Kabul known as 'Green Village' that houses hundreds of foreigners. The militants said that the attacks were in response to Obama's visit to the country.
Barack Obama visits Kabul unnoticed to sign the strategic pact with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai. The deal is to assure the government that they will be taken cared of even after NATO troops are pulled out of the country in 2014.
Obama in his speech to the Americans said that the war in Afghanistan has come to an end.
"The Iraq War is over. The number of our troops in harm's way has been cut in half, and more will be coming home soon. We have a clear path to fulfill our mission in Afghanistan, while delivering justice to Al Qaeda," IBNS quoted Obama as saying.
"I recognize that many Americans are tired of war. I will not keep Americans in harm's way a single day longer than is absolutely required for our national security. But we must finish the job we started in Afghanistan, and end this war responsibly," he added.
Barack Obama also visited soldiers in Afghanistan and recalled how Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan's Abbottabad on May 2, 2011.
"Not only were we able to drive al Qaeda out of Afghanistan, but slowly and systematically we have been able to decimate the ranks of al Qaeda, and a year ago we were able to finally to bring Osama bin Laden to justice," he said.
Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States (World Trade Center and the Pentagon) that killed nearly 3,000 people, was killed by the American armed forces on May 2, 2011, inside a private residential compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Laden had a US$25 million bounty on his head.
(With Inputs from IBNS)
