Afghan security forces stand in front of the dead bodies of Taliban fighters after clashes in Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015.
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“The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) condemns the Taliban’s attack at Kandahar Airport, which reportedly killed 39 civilians, including four children, and injured at least 23 civilians”, UNAMA said in a statement.
“The last attacker was killed around 20:15 last night”, Defence Ministry spokesperson Dawlat Waziri said.
The Taliban posted a picture on their website of the militants it said were involved in the brazen attack.
The Taliban entered the Kandahar airport in labour uniforms and received weapons inside the facility, the police chief for the southern province claimed on Thursday.
“Khanisheen district was under attack in the past few days, but yesterday, the Taliban intensified their fight against the security forces and finally were able to get the control of whole district”, he added.
Then they took position inside a school and started firing at security forces, according to a spokesman for the local governor, Sameem Khpalwak.
“Afghanistan’s national army forces are bravely fighting terrorists in airport areas and are trying to act cautiously to avoid harm to civilians”, the ministry said.
The raid, which saw militants blowing themselves up among civilians before Afghan troops secured the area, is seen as the most serious attack in 14 years of war on the complex, the largest military installation in the south of the country.
Kunduz, however, was the first in a series of successes as the emboldened militants saw gains in southern Helmand province, approaching Lashkar Gah, raising their flag in the main centre of Ghurian district, and taking over Warduj district. The Afghan government said last week that the Taliban’s new leader, Akhtar Mohammad Mansour, was wounded in internecine fighting in the Pakistani city of Quetta.
Afghan foreign minister Salahuddin Rabbani, speaking at the conference, called on Pakistan to help restart stalled peace talks with the Taliban. The Taliban, who often exaggerate the effects of their attacks, claimed responsibility on their website, saying the attackers killed scores of worldwide and Afghan troops. Answering a query whether Haqqani Network and other groups will also be included in the reconciliation process, the Afghanistan foreign minister said they would be welcomed provided they renounced violence and gave up arms.
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Afghan officials accuse Pakistan’s military of secretly helping the Taliban, charges Islamabad denies.
