KABUL – The Afghanistan Ministry of Defense (MoD) on Tuesday said thesoldiers who were deployed at the entrance gate of the111th Division of the Afghan National Army in Kabul should have killed allfive suicide attackers before they climbed the perimeter wall of themilitary unit.

The military unit, alongside the Marshal Fahim Military Academy, wasbreached on Monday morning. A gunfight between insurgents and securityforces lasted five hours and resulted in the death of 11 militarypersonnel.

Defense Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri said the guards – deployed fromthe army unit – failed to do their jobs properly.

“We accept that they (insurgents) should have been killed before theyreached the wall. But unfortunately they reached the wall and startedtheir operation. Then our brave soldiers did not let them enter among thesoldiers to detonate their explosives. Otherwise, hundreds of soldierswould have lost their lives,” Waziri said.

This was the third major attack in Kabul in the past 10 days – afterinsurgents first held the Intercontinental Hotel under siege for over 15hours and also detonated an ambulance laden with explosives close toChicken Street in the heart of the city on Saturday. At least 103 peoplewere killed in this incident.

Former military officers said these attacks in the capital have underminedthe security agencies’ efforts to ensure the safety of the people.

“Security forces should be fully prepared, especially when there is a bigmeeting in Afghanistan and for the benefit of the country. Because in thesetimes the enemy doubtless will attack,” former military officer AtiqullahAmarkhail said.

The Interior Ministry said they have a new plan to assess securityvulnerabilities that have led to these deadly attacks.

“They (insurgents) carry out inhuman activities in different ways. We havetaken serious actions to prevent such activities,” Interior Ministry’sdeputy spokesman Nusrat Rahimi told TOLOnews.

So far this month, Afghan cities have witnessed numerous attacks, whichformer military officers believe increased following Washington’s pressureon Pakistan.

Early on Monday morning, five suicide attackers managed to approach thewall of the military unit in Qambar Square in Kabul’s PD5 and by puttinga stepladder against the wall launched an attack on the battalion.