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Afghan Forces Quell Attack on Kabul Airport Afghan Insurgency Attacks Kabul Airport and Building in Capital
(about 5 hours later)
KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghan security forces put down a coordinated Taliban attack on Kabul International Airport after four hours of heavy fighting early Monday, in an exchange that shook the city and rerouted air traffic but left only the bombers dead, officials said. KABUL, Afghanistan — The Afghan insurgency sent 13 suicide bombers to assault two high-profile government targets on Monday, one in the capital and the other in a southern province, in a striking signal of its willingness to expend followers on missions that have relatively little military impact but command headlines.
“The terrorist attack on Kabul airport ended with the death of seven suicide bombers,” said Gen. Mohammed Ayub Salangi, the Kabul police chief. “Two of the bombers blew themselves up, and five others, who had occupied a building under construction, were killed by the security forces.” The first attack took place on the edge of Kabul International Airport, starting before dawn with explosions that shook the city awake and forced air traffic to be rerouted, but left only the bombers dead after a four-hour firefight. The second was in the capital of Zabul Province, where bombers in two vehicles attacked the provincial council building and an election office, wounding 19 and killing a police officer before being killed by security forces.
He added that a woman and an elderly man had been struck by stray bullets but had survived. When the day’s fighting was through, the Afghan government arguably had been left with the better bragging rights: in both attacks, its security forces responded quickly and relatively well, according to American and Afghan officials. It was a notable improvement from attacks over the past few years that in some cases locked down the capital for nearly a day, with many civilians killed or wounded in cross-fire.
When the attack began, sirens went off at international compounds across Kabul, and foreigners were cautioned not to leave protected areas. Heavy explosions could be heard. But even though the militants caused relatively little damage or loss of life on Monday, they were able to disrupt the country’s biggest airport and an important provincial capital, despite years of Western military effort in Afghanistan. And in the Zabul attack, in particular, they did wound many civilians and gave local government leaders a close call.
The head of the airport, Mohammad Yaqub Rasuli, described the attackers as “an unknown number of suicide bombers.” He spoke by telephone as he was on his way to the airport. Citing reports from his staff, he said gunmen had taken up positions in a tall building north of the airport and were shooting at the side of the airport maintained by American and other international forces. Taliban spokesmen claimed responsibility for the Kabul attack, but at least one Afghan official there suspected the involvement of the Haqqani Network, an allied militant group that has staged high-profile attacks on the capital in the past.
All civilian flights were canceled when the attack started, but the airport reopened immediately after it was over, Mr. Rasuli said. Several flights were diverted to the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif. Sirens began ringing around the capital after a series of early morning explosions near the internationally run side of the Kabul airport, officials said.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in a text message and an e-mail to journalists. The head of the airport, Mohammad Yaqub Rasuli, said a staff member had told him that the attackers had taken up positions in a tall building to the north of the airport and were shooting at the side of the airport maintained by American and other international forces.
The response by Kabul’s security forces indicated that their speed and organization had improved markedly over the past few years. In earlier coordinated attacks by insurgents, civilians caught in the cross-fire were often killed or wounded, and large sections of the capital were locked down for up to 20 hours. Although much depends on the tactics of the insurgents, it appeared that the Kabul police and the Afghan special forces were now able to move faster and with less disruption to daily life. All civilian flights were canceled when the attack started, but the airport reopened immediately after it was over, roughly four hours later, Mr. Rasuli said. Several flights were diverted to the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif.
It was the second major attack in Kabul in less than three weeks. On May 24, insurgents assaulted a guesthouse used by the International Organization for Migration. That ended in four deaths, but American and Afghan officials said the Afghan security forces responded well in halting the siege before more were killed. “The terrorist attack on Kabul airport ended with the death of seven suicide bombers,” said Gen. Mohammad Ayub Salangi, the Kabul police chief. “Two of the bombers blew themselves up, and five others, who had occupied a building under construction, were killed by the security forces,” he said.
The Kabul airport has several zones. One large area is used by American and other international military forces. Another is for commercial flights and is run and used by both Afghan and international companies. The morning is always especially busy, with many arriving and departing flights. The police later said that a civilian woman and an elderly man had received non-life-threatening injuries during the fighting, and that no security forces had been wounded.
The American and international zone has a deep security perimeter, and from some gates it can take 10 to 15 minutes to drive to the headquarters buildings. It was unclear where the first explosions happened and whether the bombers had reached the northern gate or had detonated their explosives before they got there. It was the second major attack in Kabul in less than three weeks. On May 24, insurgents assaulted a guesthouse used by the International Organization for Migration, killing four people.
The Kabul police and the Afghan security forces put down the attack with international troops acting in only an advisory role, according to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, whose press operation is at the airport. The security forces put down the airport attack with international troops acting only in an advisory role, according to Brig. Gen. Gunter Katz, a spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force. General Katz said there had been no damage to ISAF property or personnel, suggesting that the explosions were outside the ISAF gates.
A spokesman for the assistance force, Capt. Luca Carniel, left unclear whether the militants had penetrated the perimeter. “We are aware of an attack near the Kabul airport,” he said. “That’s it. It takes time to collect facts.” The Interior Ministry spokesman, Sediq Seddiqi, said that the attacker’s tactics, and the fact that some wore security uniforms, suggested involvement by the Haqqani Network. The militant group, of eastern Afghan origin but now mostly based in Pakistan’s ungoverned tribal areas, has been implicated in a number of the complex attacks in Kabul. No definite confirmation was available about the attackers, however.
Later, a spokeswoman said she did not think that the fighters had breached the perimeter. “Not that we’re aware of,” Lt. Anne-Marie Annicelli said. In the Zabul violence, six suicide bombers assaulted the provincial council’s compound. First a suicide bomber in a car detonated his bomb at the entrance to the provincial council compound, then a van with five suicide bombers tried to rush in. Some of the bombers were wearing police uniforms, said Mohammad Jan Rasoolyar, the deputy provincial governor.
No personnel from ISAF were injured in the episode, and none of its equipment or property was damaged, according to a preliminary assessment, said Brig. Gen. Gunter Katz, a spokesman. He added that people should expect more such assaults. The police killed the attackers, but not before 16 civilians and four police officers were wounded. One police officer later died of his wounds, Mr. Rasoolyar said.
“We can expect high-profile attacks, we can expect more insider attacks, and we can expect some assassinations, but attacks like that today do not affect the overall security situation,” he said. No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but officials suspected the Taliban.
Meanwhile, in the southern province of Zabul, six suicide bombers tried to enter the provincial council building after setting off a car bomb. At least 18 people were wounded, including provincial council members, said Mohammad Jan Rasoolyaar, the deputy governor. The police killed the suicide bombers, Gen. Ghulam Sakhi Rooghliwanai, the Zabul police chief, said. “The militants are trying to bring casualties to our fellow countrymen,” he said. “We are blaming them for this attack and praising the brave action of our policemen that halted it and saved the lives of many innocent people.”
President Hamid Karzai had left Afghanistan on Sunday to attend a forum for Islamic countries in Qatar.President Hamid Karzai had left Afghanistan on Sunday to attend a forum for Islamic countries in Qatar.

 Sangar Rahimi contributed reporting.

In a separate episode, information emerged that the Taliban beheaded a teenager in Kandahar Province, said the governor’s spokesman, Javed Faisal. The killing occurred in Maiwand District, where large stretches are under Taliban control. An elder from Maiwand, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the subject, said a 16-yearold boy named Khan, son of Abdul Wahab, was beheaded by the Taliban five days ago.
The boy was a regular visitor to an Afghan Local Police check post in one area, but went to visit a shrine in an area held by the Taliban and the militants detained and then beheaded him, the elder said.
The Taliban hate the Afghan Local Police because they are from the villages where they work and can easily recognize the Taliban and move against them.
Taimoor Shah contributed reporting from Kandahar, Afghanistan.