Kandahar: Taliban forces on Tuesday launched an attack on Kandahar city in southern Afghanistan. A fierce gunbattle between the attackers and security forces is reported to be underway.
An Afghan official informed that the Taliban have attacked the airport in the city, where clashes are still underway.
According to Samim Khopalwaq, the spokesman for the Kandahar provincial governor, Tuesday's attack started with the Taliban targeting the facility's main gate. The sprawling Kandahar Air Field has both a military and a civilian section.
Khopalwaq said the attackers managed to enter the air base where they encountered heavy resistance. There was no information of any casualties, he said.
The Taliban are strong in southern Afghanistan, where the majority of people are Pashtuns, the ethnic group that dominates the militant movement. The insurgents have stepped up attacks against Afghan troops since the withdrawal of all foreign combat forces at the end of last year.
The attack comes at a crucial time as regional leaders get together in Pakistan for a conference to discuss ways to revive peace talks with the insurgents. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani is due to visit Islamabad for the Heart of Asia regional conference tomorrow. Indian External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj also reached Islamabad today to participate in the conference.
The violence follows a similar incident where two suicide bombers attacked a police station in Kandahar, one of the traditional strongholds of the Taliban.
A Taliban spokesman is said to have claimed responsibility for the attack.
(With inputs from AP)
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