Afghanistan: US defense secretary escapes rocket attack

Several rockets struck Kabul’s international airport shortly after Secretary of Defense Mattis arrived there. 

At least five civilians, including a woman, were wounded after several rockets were fired toward Kabul international airport in the Afghan capital, officials said Wednesday.

The attack came as US Secretary of Defense James Mattis and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg arrived in Kabul for a visit and just hours before they held a joint news conference with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

Najib Danish, spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, said one of the rockets struck a home near the airport, wounding the five victims. He said one of them was a woman who was “not in a good health condition.”

Zabihullah Mujahid, Taliban spokesman, claimed responsibility for the attack on his official Twitter account.

Tumor Shah Hamedi, director of the Kabul airport, said all flights were halted as result of the attack.

Ghani said during the joint news conference at the presidential palace that Special Forces troops brought the attack under control.

Mattis called the Kabul attack “a crime” during the news conference, which was broadcast live.

By: AP