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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Afghan Taliban fighters attack Kandahar airport | Afghan Taliban fighters attack Kandahar airport |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| At least nine people have been killed in heavy fighting at the airport in the Afghan city of Kandahar, reports say. | At least nine people have been killed in heavy fighting at the airport in the Afghan city of Kandahar, reports say. |
| The Taliban said it carried out the attack at the heavily fortified airport on Tuesday evening. | The Taliban said it carried out the attack at the heavily fortified airport on Tuesday evening. |
| A spokesman for the provincial governor said the attackers had managed to breach the first gate of the complex in the southern city. | |
| The airport compound houses the joint Nato and Afghan military headquarters. | The airport compound houses the joint Nato and Afghan military headquarters. |
| "Several insurgents" had carried out the attack, the provincial governor's spokesman Samim Khopalwaq told AFP. | "Several insurgents" had carried out the attack, the provincial governor's spokesman Samim Khopalwaq told AFP. |
| He said the militants had taken up positions inside a school in the complex. | He said the militants had taken up positions inside a school in the complex. |
| Officials said the attackers had met heavy resistance from troops inside, with local authorities reportedly deploying commandos to the area. | Officials said the attackers had met heavy resistance from troops inside, with local authorities reportedly deploying commandos to the area. |
| Kandahar airport director Ahmadullah Faizi told AFP some passengers had been trapped inside the airport while the fighting was ongoing. | Kandahar airport director Ahmadullah Faizi told AFP some passengers had been trapped inside the airport while the fighting was ongoing. |
| Both soldiers and civilians are believed to be among the dead. It was unclear whether the militants had been killed. | Both soldiers and civilians are believed to be among the dead. It was unclear whether the militants had been killed. |
| The fighting was reported to be over by late on Tuesday. | The fighting was reported to be over by late on Tuesday. |
| Militant violence has increased across Afghanistan since the departure of most Nato and US forces last year. | Militant violence has increased across Afghanistan since the departure of most Nato and US forces last year. |
| In recent months the Taliban has seen a series of battlefield victories, including briefly capturing the northern Afghan city of Kunduz. |