Killed in Afghanistan Airport Attack

The attack on the airport, one of the most heavily protected bases in the country, underlined the Taliban’s ability to inflict serious damage on security forces that are still shaken by the insurgents’ brief capture of the northern city of Kunduz in September.

Dozens of civilians including children were among the dead after 11 Taliban fighters mounted a fierce assault on Kandahar airport on Tuesday, which is home to a large North Atlantic Treaty Organisation base.

The previous Pakistan-brokered Afghan peace dialogue took place near Islamabad in July but it was halted after the announcement of the death of long time Taliban leader Mullah Omar.

The sprawling airport in Kandahar is known as Kandahar Air Field.

A number of hostages were seized in the 26-hour attack but the Afghan army says it has regained control.

An Afghan soldier stands guard after clashes between Taliban fighters and Afghan forces at Kandahar Airfield on Wednesday. The claim could not be verified, and the Taliban often exaggerate battlefield victories.

The Afghan defence ministry yesterday evening said nine insurgents had been gunned down, one was injured and another was still holed up inside a building.

The airport in Kandahar, Afghanistan’s second biggest city, has for years been a major hub for operations of worldwide forces, most of whom had withdrawn from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.

Also Wednesday, the Taliban seized a district in another southern province, Helmand, killing 14 Afghan security forces in a battle there.

The raid coincides with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s high-profile visit to Islamabad on Wednesday for the Heart of Asia conference aimed at promoting regional ties.

One militant held out on his own inside the military base, which also has a civilian area, until late on December 9.

Ghani and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed their commitment to the peace process, with the United States and China also offering support.

Though most analysts think substantive talks could still be months away, Mr Blinken said officials are hopeful that the Taliban is receiving the message that “it can’t achieve its goals militarily”.

Residents of the complex said they could hear soldiers pleading with the insurgents to free women and children, and the children screaming, during the fighting.