'Would not have cared for my life': Sepoy wounded during embassy attack shares story

Israr, who was injured during an assassination attempt on the ambassador in Kabul, was shot twice

Pakistani sepoy Israr, who was wounded by shots fired at the Pakistan embassy in the Afghan capital in an assassination attempt on the head of the mission, has shared his story about the incident.

Israr, talking from the hospital, said that the event occurred on Friday when he and Ambassador Nizamani were walking after Asr prayers, and an unknown assailant opened fire on them.

[#PAYFExclusive]

Israr Muhammad, SSG guard deployed with HOM Ubaid ur Rehman Nizamani in Kabul, narrate the event of the failed attack on @PakinAfg,
as he jumped to save ambassador's life & getting shot twice in the process.

Salute to his valor & commitment to fulfil his duty! pic.twitter.com/NzCThIPCBJ

— Pak Afghan Youth Forum (@payf_eng) December 5, 2022

“I was almost five meters away from the ambassador and I jumped on him to knock him down and shield him. As I was trying to help him up, I received a bullet to the chest,” he narrated.

The sepoy stated that after being shot, he placed one hand on his chest and pulled the ambassador towards the shelter with his other hand.

“I informed him [the ambassador] that he was injured when I tackled him to the ground and that he was not hit by a bullet,” he said.

Shortly after, Israr was shot in the leg and lost consciousness as other security personnel arrived at the scene.

Read Kabul to hold embassy attack inquiry: FO

“I was trained to protect the diplomat and would not have cared for my own life while fulfilling my duty. It was important to protect our representative,” he said.

Pakistan’s former ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmed Khan stated that he was proud of Israr for his bravery and devotion to duty.

Proud of Israr for his bravery and devotion to duty. I am also thankful to him personally and the entire SSG team who were protecting me when I was serving as Ambassador in Kabul. Salam to these great sons of Pakistan @PakinAfg https://t.co/dGtI4d381X

— Mansoor Ahmad Khan (@ambmansoorkhan) December 6, 2022

He thanked Israr and the entire security team who protected him during his term as ambassador in Kabul.

“Salam to these great sons of Pakistan”.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Mumtaz Baloch also shared Israr’s video and dubbed him a “brave sepoy”.

Brave sepoy Israr Mohammad. https://t.co/KB6Ln11rtN

— Mumtaz Baloch (@Mumtazzb) December 6, 2022

Israr was wounded on Friday by shots fired at the Pakistan embassy in the Afghan capital, in what Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called “an assassination attempt” on the head of the mission Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani.

A Kabul police spokesman said one suspect had been arrested and two light weapons were seized after security forces swept a nearby building “and prevented the continuation of gunfire”.

An embassy official told AFP a lone attacker “came behind the cover of houses and started firing”. “The ambassador and all the other staff are safe, but we are not going outside of the embassy building as a precaution,” he said.