Clash near airport in Afghanistan's Kandahar city

Kabul, Dec 9: Clash resumed early Wednesday between security forces and Taliban militants near an airport in Kandahar city of Afghanistan, sources said. “About 14 Taliban fighters armed with suicide jackets, rocket launchers and guns took control of two buildings near Kandahar Intertiol Airport on Tuesday. The clashes have been going on throughout the night causing 10 militants killed,” Xinhua quoted a security source as saying. Clash started again early Wednesday, he said. “A cleanup operation is going on at the area. The security forces are moving carefully in the neighbourhood to avoid civilian casualties,” the source said.

The attackers, disguised in army uniform, fired several rocket propelled gredes towards the airport vicinity. The airport’s operations were suspended since the attack started for precautiory measures. “We still cannot provide details of casualties. There is fear of possible casualties, both civilian and military personnel,” a provincial government spokesman, Samim Khpalwak, said, adding the details will be disclosed later on Wednesday.

Sources said the insurgents also attacked nearby apartment buildings and houses, where families’ of military and high-ranking officials lives. They said 10 suicide bombers and three army soldiers had so been killed so far while more than 20 people sustained injuries by the clashes.

 The Taliban-led insurgency has been rampant since April when the militants group launched its annual rebel offensive in different places which had claimed hundreds of lives including militants, security personnel and civilians. Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, a purported Taliban spokesman, said the attack was part of Taliban’s offensive codemed Hamalyat-e-Azm or Resolute Operation. (IANS)