Dozens killed in Taliban attack on Afghan airport

Afghan National Army soldiers stand guard in front of a shop burned during the Taliban attack on Kandahar Airport yesterday.

At least eight people were killed after Taliban militants stormed an airport complex in Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar city, triggering an all-night gun battle into Wednesday that coincides with a regional conference that had raised hopes of reviving peace talks.

Nabil said the president’s trip was disrespectful to Afghans killed in Taliban attacks around the country because Ghani had been holding talks with government leaders in Pakistan, where the Taliban’s leadership council is based.

“Fifty of our innocent countrymen, including 10 soldiers, two policemen and 38 civilians, were martyred in the attack”, the defence ministry said.

Afghan special forces deployed to the scene had to move slowly to retake the airport as any sudden action could have caused civilian casualties due to a hostage situation, military officials said. Afghan special forces have launched over 40 operations against the Taliban, but Afghanistan remains something of a hotbed for global jihadis.

As many as 37 people have been killed and another 35 wounded in the brazen attack, for which the Taliban claims responsibility.

The government claimed on Wednesday morning that an unknown number of assailants had been killed but local residents, who were told to hunker down in their homes, were still reporting gunfire and explosions.

The attack also injured “37 people, including 14 civilians, 17 Afghan army and 4 Afghan police personnel”, he said.

Afghan forces have struggled to roll back Taliban advances since the USA and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation formally concluded their combat mission at the end of previous year.

Afghan and US officials said the insurgents didn’t make it inside the perimeter of the military base, Kandahar Air Field, where roughly 2,000 USA troops are deployed.

Share with Us – We’d love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article, and smart, constructive criticism.

Kunduz, however, was the first in a series of successes as the emboldened militants saw gains in southern Helmand province, approaching Lashkar Gah, raising their flag in the main centre of Ghurian district, and taking over Warduj district.

Peace talks between Afghanistan and the Taliban were frozen earlier this year after the group reported its leader Mullah Omar was dead, sparking a rift among members regarding his successor.

Ghani and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed their commitment to the peace process on Wednesday on the final day of the conference, with the United States also offering support, the foreign ministry in Islamabad said.