Taliban Storm Airport Complex in Kandahar City
- 9 years ago
Taliban fighters stormed the airport complex in Afghanistan's southern city of Kandahar Tuesday, triggering gunfights and explosions as a regional conference kicked off in Pakistan with hopes of reviving peace talks with the insurgent group.
Simultaneously, Taliban forces attacked nearby residential blocks housing government employees and the joint Afghan-NATO military base at the airport, Afghan officials said.
There was no immediate information about possible casualties in the attacks, the first major assault after days of fevered speculation that Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed last month in an internal firefight.
Pakistan hosted a milestone first round of peace negotiations in July, but the talks soon stalled when the Taliban belatedly confirmed the death of their longtime leader Mullah Omar.
Simultaneously, Taliban forces attacked nearby residential blocks housing government employees and the joint Afghan-NATO military base at the airport, Afghan officials said.
There was no immediate information about possible casualties in the attacks, the first major assault after days of fevered speculation that Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed last month in an internal firefight.
Pakistan hosted a milestone first round of peace negotiations in July, but the talks soon stalled when the Taliban belatedly confirmed the death of their longtime leader Mullah Omar.