KABUL, Afghanistan: Insurgents fired mortars and detonated suicide vests Wednesday in an attack targeting Kabul's international airport during a visit to Afghanistan by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, and U.S. forces responded with an airstrike that inadvertently caused civilian casualties, authorities said.
According to the U.S.-led NATO mission in Afghanistan, insurgents used civilians as human shields during the operation, in which they "fired several rounds of high-explosive ammunition, including mortars, into the vicinity of Hamid Karzai International Airport." A statement by the Resolute Support mission provided no details on the number of insurgents or casualties.
Both the Taliban and the Islamic State issued competing claims of responsibility for the airport attack, which was carried out while Mattis and the NATO secretary general met with President Ashraf Ghani and other Afghan leaders miles away at the heavily fortified presidential palace.
The Taliban has fired rockets in the past on the airport, and Wednesday's attack coincided with the anniversary of the Islamist group's capture of Kabul in 1996. For its part, the Islamic State often asserts links to attacks without offering any clear evidence.
The U.S. military and NATO use the airport, and it was not immediately clear whether runways or aircraft were damaged.
Speaking in a news conference with Mattis, Ghani described the attack as "a sign of weakness, not strength" by insurgents.
Mattis and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke with Ghani about plans to strengthen Afghanistan's military as it faces a resurgent Taliban and factions backing the Islamic State.
Mattis' visit was his first since President Donald Trump announced a new strategy for Afghanistan in August, including a stepped-up military campaign against the Taliban and efforts to end cross-border sanctuaries for militants in Pakistan.
Ghani said Trump's plans have given Pakistan "a golden opportunity" to confront the Taliban and other militant factions.
Defense secretary visits to Afghanistan are tightly managed and planned well in advance, but not disclosed until after arrival.
Ahmad Saeedi, a political analyst who previously served as an Afghan diplomat, said only a few top people knew about the visit by Mattis and Stoltenberg, suggesting that the airport attack was a serious security breach.
"This creates a worry that the enemy has found a place even in our artery," said Saeedi.
Mattis travels abroad in a blue-and-white plane, known as the E4B, that is emblazoned with "United States of America." But when visiting war zones, he usually switches to a lower-profile gray military jet.
In Afghanistan, there are several runways long enough for the defense secretary's plane to land, including in Kabul itself and at Bagram air base north of the city. Defense secretaries have been known to land at Bagram and fly to Kabul by helicopter.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
According to the U.S.-led NATO mission in Afghanistan, insurgents used civilians as human shields during the operation, in which they "fired several rounds of high-explosive ammunition, including mortars, into the vicinity of Hamid Karzai International Airport." A statement by the Resolute Support mission provided no details on the number of insurgents or casualties.
Both the Taliban and the Islamic State issued competing claims of responsibility for the airport attack, which was carried out while Mattis and the NATO secretary general met with President Ashraf Ghani and other Afghan leaders miles away at the heavily fortified presidential palace.
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The Taliban has fired rockets in the past on the airport, and Wednesday's attack coincided with the anniversary of the Islamist group's capture of Kabul in 1996. For its part, the Islamic State often asserts links to attacks without offering any clear evidence.
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The U.S. military and NATO use the airport, and it was not immediately clear whether runways or aircraft were damaged.
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Speaking in a news conference with Mattis, Ghani described the attack as "a sign of weakness, not strength" by insurgents.
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Mattis and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke with Ghani about plans to strengthen Afghanistan's military as it faces a resurgent Taliban and factions backing the Islamic State.
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Mattis' visit was his first since President Donald Trump announced a new strategy for Afghanistan in August, including a stepped-up military campaign against the Taliban and efforts to end cross-border sanctuaries for militants in Pakistan.
Ghani said Trump's plans have given Pakistan "a golden opportunity" to confront the Taliban and other militant factions.
Defense secretary visits to Afghanistan are tightly managed and planned well in advance, but not disclosed until after arrival.
Ahmad Saeedi, a political analyst who previously served as an Afghan diplomat, said only a few top people knew about the visit by Mattis and Stoltenberg, suggesting that the airport attack was a serious security breach.
"This creates a worry that the enemy has found a place even in our artery," said Saeedi.
Mattis travels abroad in a blue-and-white plane, known as the E4B, that is emblazoned with "United States of America." But when visiting war zones, he usually switches to a lower-profile gray military jet.
In Afghanistan, there are several runways long enough for the defense secretary's plane to land, including in Kabul itself and at Bagram air base north of the city. Defense secretaries have been known to land at Bagram and fly to Kabul by helicopter.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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