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| Afghan Forces Clear Most Taliban From Kandahar Airfield | Afghan Forces Clear Most Taliban From Kandahar Airfield |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — A hostage siege by Taliban attackers near the Kandahar Airfield military base stretched into a second day on Wednesday, leaving dozens dead. And in neighboring Helmand Province, the insurgents were reported to have overrun a major district. | |
| While some Afghan officials declared the operation near Kandahar Airfield over after about 21 hours of fighting, others were hesitant, saying that at least two of the attackers were still at large. | While some Afghan officials declared the operation near Kandahar Airfield over after about 21 hours of fighting, others were hesitant, saying that at least two of the attackers were still at large. |
| Gen. Dawood Shah Wafadar, an Afghan Army corps commander based at the sprawling airfield, said 14 attackers, including four wearing explosives vests, had been killed. The search for the other two continued, but it remained unclear whether the attackers remained hidden in the residential buildings they had holed up in, or had fled. The condition of several people said to be held hostage was also unclear. | Gen. Dawood Shah Wafadar, an Afghan Army corps commander based at the sprawling airfield, said 14 attackers, including four wearing explosives vests, had been killed. The search for the other two continued, but it remained unclear whether the attackers remained hidden in the residential buildings they had holed up in, or had fled. The condition of several people said to be held hostage was also unclear. |
| The Afghan Defense Ministry said in a statement that 37 people had died in the fighting and 35 others were wounded. But local officials put the number of deaths at less than a dozen. | The Afghan Defense Ministry said in a statement that 37 people had died in the fighting and 35 others were wounded. But local officials put the number of deaths at less than a dozen. |
| An Afghan Army officer at the airfield, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he had not been permitted to brief the press, said at least one family was still being held hostage, and he feared the casualties would rise further. | |
| The attack began at 6:20 p.m. on Tuesday, officials said, when more than a dozen insurgents armed with rocket-propelled grenades, hand grenades and assault rifles fired at General Wafadar’s convoy as he was driving home. The attackers then barricaded themselves into at least three places in the residential and shopping area for the families of security forces at the base, including a building used to train teachers, and a former school building being used for shops. | The attack began at 6:20 p.m. on Tuesday, officials said, when more than a dozen insurgents armed with rocket-propelled grenades, hand grenades and assault rifles fired at General Wafadar’s convoy as he was driving home. The attackers then barricaded themselves into at least three places in the residential and shopping area for the families of security forces at the base, including a building used to train teachers, and a former school building being used for shops. |
| Col. Michael Lawhorn, a spokesman for the NATO mission in Afghanistan, said the insurgents had not made it onto Kandahar Airfield itself. He said that some rockets had been fired toward facilities used by American troops, but that no American service members had been wounded and no aircraft damaged. | Col. Michael Lawhorn, a spokesman for the NATO mission in Afghanistan, said the insurgents had not made it onto Kandahar Airfield itself. He said that some rockets had been fired toward facilities used by American troops, but that no American service members had been wounded and no aircraft damaged. |
| Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, said the insurgents had sent 10 suicide bombers on the mission, wearing Afghan Army uniforms. On their website, the Taliban posted a video message of the attackers wearing white robes and sitting in front the of the Taliban flag. It also posted a picture of the 10 men dressed in what looked like United States military uniforms. | Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, said the insurgents had sent 10 suicide bombers on the mission, wearing Afghan Army uniforms. On their website, the Taliban posted a video message of the attackers wearing white robes and sitting in front the of the Taliban flag. It also posted a picture of the 10 men dressed in what looked like United States military uniforms. |
| “It is my suggestion from Obama: Obama, you are not safe in Afghanistan,” one of the attackers said in broken English, brandishing a knife. His two colleagues seated next to him could not restrain their chuckles, seemingly at his grammatical mistakes. “When you are go anywhere, we will kill them there. We will finish your technology and kill your power.” | “It is my suggestion from Obama: Obama, you are not safe in Afghanistan,” one of the attackers said in broken English, brandishing a knife. His two colleagues seated next to him could not restrain their chuckles, seemingly at his grammatical mistakes. “When you are go anywhere, we will kill them there. We will finish your technology and kill your power.” |
| Abdul Ali Shamsi, the deputy governor of Kandahar Province, said the clearance operation lasted so long because Afghan security forces were moving carefully to avoid casualties among civilians or the hostages. | Abdul Ali Shamsi, the deputy governor of Kandahar Province, said the clearance operation lasted so long because Afghan security forces were moving carefully to avoid casualties among civilians or the hostages. |
| “The school building, and the teachers’ training building, has been cleared, but the operation is ongoing,” Mr. Shamsi said. “We fear there are casualties, including women and children.” | “The school building, and the teachers’ training building, has been cleared, but the operation is ongoing,” Mr. Shamsi said. “We fear there are casualties, including women and children.” |
| Members of the Afghan security forces, using loudspeakers, were calling on the Taliban to free the hostages, said an Afghan Army officer at the airfield who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the news media. He said the hostages were believed to be shopkeepers or families living in residential buildings near the airfield. Another army officer said 25 shops had been destroyed in the fighting. | Members of the Afghan security forces, using loudspeakers, were calling on the Taliban to free the hostages, said an Afghan Army officer at the airfield who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the news media. He said the hostages were believed to be shopkeepers or families living in residential buildings near the airfield. Another army officer said 25 shops had been destroyed in the fighting. |
| In neighboring Helmand Province, the Taliban overran the district of Khanashin after 24 hours of intense fighting that left more than a dozen policemen killed, according to the provincial council chief, Mohammad Karim Attal. | In neighboring Helmand Province, the Taliban overran the district of Khanashin after 24 hours of intense fighting that left more than a dozen policemen killed, according to the provincial council chief, Mohammad Karim Attal. |
| “At around 2:20 p.m., the district center and the police headquarters fell to the hands of the Taliban,” Mr. Attal said. “The security forces retreated to the Afghan Army base which is two kilometers from the district center.” | “At around 2:20 p.m., the district center and the police headquarters fell to the hands of the Taliban,” Mr. Attal said. “The security forces retreated to the Afghan Army base which is two kilometers from the district center.” |
| Fighting has intensified in Helmand in recent months, with the Taliban reaching the gates of the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah. Afghan officials have said the Taliban planned this year to carve a corridor in the province and move their leadership council, currently based across the border in Pakistan, into Helmand. | Fighting has intensified in Helmand in recent months, with the Taliban reaching the gates of the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah. Afghan officials have said the Taliban planned this year to carve a corridor in the province and move their leadership council, currently based across the border in Pakistan, into Helmand. |