Embassy of the United States, Kabul

Embassy of the United States, Kabul
Native name
Persian: سفارت ایالات متحده آمریکا در کابل‎‎


Chancery Building as seen from its plaza
Location Afghanistan Kabul, Afghanistan
Coordinates 34°32′05″N 69°11′24″E / 34.534722°N 69.19°E / 34.534722; 69.19Coordinates: 34°32′05″N 69°11′24″E / 34.534722°N 69.19°E / 34.534722; 69.19
Opened 2006 (2006)
Ambassador P. Michael McKinley (since December 9, 2014)
Location of Embassy of the United States, Kabul in Afghanistan

The Embassy of the United States of America in Kabul is the diplomatic mission of the United States of America in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The embassy complex is located on Great Massoud Road in the Wazir Akbar Khan section of the Afghan capital, Kabul, and is home to the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan. The Embassies of Finland and South Korea are located behind this complex and the headquarters of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) is located across the street.

History

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul was elevated in May 1948 from the U.S. Kabul Legation. Louis Goethe Dreyfus, who previously served as Minister Plenipotentiary from 1940 to 1942, became the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan from 1949 to 1951.[1] It was closed in 1989, before the start of the long civil war followed by the Taliban takeover. The embassy re-opened after the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom in late 2001 and was under construction until early 2006, when U.S. President George W. Bush along with Afghan President Hamid Karzai held an inauguration ceremony. The U.S. State Department is spending another $500 million to further expand its premises, which is scheduled to be completed in 2014.[2] However, the U.S. State Department extended the completion date to July 2016.[3]

September 2011 attack

Heavily armed Taliban insurgents wearing suicide vests struck various buildings in Kabul on 13 September 2011, and at least 7 people were killed and 19 wounded. The U.S. embassy was among the buildings targeted and several Afghan visa applicants who were waiting at the embassy were wounded. No embassy personnel were hurt in the incident.[4][5] The United States blamed the Pakistani Army and its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy network for the attack.[6][7] Another deadly attack at an annex to the embassy occurred later the same month.[8]

April 15, 2012 attacks

As part of a nationwide series of coordinated attacks, Taliban elements attacked the embassy on April 15, 2012. The attack was defeated by Afghan security forces. Gen John Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force, stated he was "enormously proud" of the response mounted by Afghan security forces. He added: "No one is underestimating the seriousness of the attacks, and we'll work hard to determine the circumstances that led to today's events." [9]

Other events

On November 30, 2015 the embassy issued a public warning of an imminent terrorist attack in Kabul. The warning was based on credible intelligence saying the attacks would take place in two days. The embassy spokeswoman told reporters that the American citizens, interests, or the embassy were not specifically threatened.[10]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "About the Embassy". U.S. Embassy in Kabul. Retrieved 2011-10-13.
  2. ↑ "U.S. To Spend $500 Million On Kabul Embassy". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). November 4, 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-18.
  3. ↑ "Kabul Embassy Construction Costs Have Increased and Schedules Have Been Extended". GAO. July 8, 2014. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
  4. ↑ Holehouse, Matthew (13 Sep 2011). "Kabul US embassy attack: September 13 as it happened". telegraph.co.uk.
  5. ↑ RUBIN, ALISSA (14 Sep 2011). "U.S. Embassy and NATO Headquarters Attacked in Kabul". nytimes.com.
  6. ↑ "U.S. blames Pakistan agency in Kabul attack". Reuters. September 22, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Clinton Presses Pakistan to Help Fight Haqqani Insurgent Group". Fox News. September 18, 2011. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  8. ↑ NYT: September 26, 2011, attack
  9. ↑ Taliban launches largest attack on Kabul in 11 years. The Guardian.
  10. ↑ "U.S. Embassy warns of imminent attack in Kabul". Reuters. 2015-11-30. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
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