An insider's view on surviving Taliban attacks in Afghanistan

The May 13, 2015 attack on the Park Guest House in Kabul where Taliban terrorists shot dead four Indian nationals among 14 other people, marks the continuation of a dangerous trend that began in 2010. Indians are now in the Taliban crosshairs. In 2010, gunmen attacked two guest houses including the Park, killing 18 people including nine Indians. Last week’s attack saw Taliban gunmen going from room-to-room, specifically looking for Indian nationals to kill. One of the key targets was Indian ambassador Amar Sinha who was to attend a music reception at the guest house that evening.

An Indian employee in Kabul who, for obvious reasons, did not want to be named, shared his survival recipe. These five tips have helped him live through the bomb and gun attacks of the past several years:

1. Avoid major public gatherings of expatriates, especially if it is outside secured areas. These are likely targets of Taliban attack.

2. Never follow a set pattern that would make you a predictable target.

3. Never question local traditions and practices, even if they seem ridiculous to you.

4. Never get into an argument. Avoid confrontations. It doesn’t matter. Your life is more important than fixing Afghanistan’s problems.

5. And finally, your death is not going to make any difference, it is just another statistic.