NEWS ---Taliban Claim Attack On Kabul Airport

Taliban Claim Attack On Kabul Airport




Taliban insurgents are involved in an ongoing attack on the military side of Kabul Airport, which houses a Nato base.

The international airport has been closed to all civilian air traffic because of the assault.

The attackers wearing suicide vests have occupied a tall building on the west side of the international airport and were firing at the military facility, police said in a statement.

There was at least one large explosion at around 4.30am and a gunbattle began with security forces, the statement added.

"We closed the Kabul airport runway so that civilian aircraft don't get hit by bullets. They are in a high building that they are shooting from," said Yaqub Rassouli, the civilian chief of Kabul airport.

Afghan Army General Murad Ali Murad said police and military forces were exchanging gunfire with the insurgents.

"Outside the airport, in the civilian area, there is a tall building under construction and they are shooting at the military side from there," he said.

"The building is surrounded and there is sporadic shooting. Not enough to damage the military side. We don't know how many terrorist bombers are in there."

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told the AFP news agency: "Yes, we claim responsibility. This morning a group of mujahedeen attacked the military part of Kabul Airport."

A series of explosion were heard from the direction of the airport and residents said they heard around a dozen explosions coming from the direction of the military's facilities.

They said the explosions sounded like rocket-propelled grenades along with automatic weapons fire.

The explosions could be heard in downtown Kabul, a few miles away from the airport, located on the outskirts of the capital.

The US-led Nato coalition's joint command headquarters at the airport runs the day-to-day operations of the nearly 12-year-old war against insurgents. The airport's military side is also used for Nato transport and other aircraft.

The International Assistance Force's Joint Command said it was aware of an attack, but gave no further detai