Rocket attack on Kabul kills one, wounds three: police

By
AFP
|
Rocket attack on Kabul kills one, wounds three: police
KABUL: Rockets struck near Kabul's presidential palace and international airport Tuesday on the 11th anniversary of the Taliban withdrawal from the Afghan capital, killing one and wounding three, police said.

The hardline Islamists, ousted by US-led forces following the 9/11 attacks on the United States, claimed responsibility for the attack. "Mujahideen (holy warriors) targeted the presidential palace and Kabul airport with rockets this morning," the Taliban said on their website.

Police said four rockets were fired from a vineyard northeast of Kabul, with two landing "near" Kabul international airport without causing any casualties.

Airport sources said one of the rockets exploded in a car park at the airport and another landed near a police checkpost where passengers are searched but failed to detonate. A third rocket hit the compound of the privately run Shamshad TV station without causing casualties. "But unfortunately, the fourth one landed in District 9 (near the presidential palace) and hit a car, wounding three civilians and killing one," Kabul police said in a statement.

The rockets had been rigged to fire from improvised launchers when triggered by mobile phones and a fifth was discovered and disarmed before it was launched, the statement said.