KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- Taliban militants have carried out a bold attack on a major airfield used by Afghan and NATO forces in the southern province of Kandahar, with at least nine deaths confirmed among Afghan security forces and Afghan civilians.
The attack against Kandahar Airfield (KAF), about 30 kilometers south of Kandahar city, began shortly after sundown on December 8 with fighting continuing into the early morning hours of December 9.
Sameem Khpalwak, a spokesman for Kandahar’s provincial governor, confirmed that at least nine civilians and Afghan soldiers were killed.
Khpalwak said three Taliban attackers also were killed.
Dawood Shah Wafadar, an Afghan military commander in Kandahar, said the total death toll was at least 18 and that 28 others were injured.
Afghan security officials said fighting at the airfield, the second-largest military base in Afghanistan, ended shortly before dawn.
A Taliban statement said three suicide attackers managed to enter the base with light and heavy weapons and had attacked both international forces and troops from the Afghan National Army.
A spokesman for NATO’s Resolute Support mission said there were no reports of casualties among the hundreds of international personnel on the base.