Clash near Kabul airport; 7 insurgents killed

KABUL -- At least seven heavily armed Taliban insurgents attacked near Afghanistan's main airport early today, apparently trying to attack NATO headquarters at the airport with rocket-propelled grenades, assault rifles and at least one large bomb. Security forces engaged in an hours-long battle and killed all of the attackers.

The airport was closed to all civilian air traffic because of the attack, an airport official said. It was unclear whether the attack had damaged airport facilities.

"Their target is unclear because they are at a distance from the airport," Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqi said earlier. "They seem to be trying to hit anything they can." Two civilians were wounded, he said after the attack.

Deputy Kabul police chief Dawood Amin said there were seven attackers. Two blew themselves up with suicide vests, and five were killed by police.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, with its spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid saying NATO was the target.

There was at least one large explosion about 4:30 a.m. and a gun battle began with security forces, Kabul police said. Attackers wearing suicide vests had occupied one or two buildings under construction on the west side of the airport. "The security forces surrounded the buildings and are being careful because it is a residential area," a police spokesman said.

The International Assistance Force's Joint Command said it was aware of reports of an attack but had no further details.

The clash came days after so-called "insider attack," in which Afghan forces open fire on their comrades or international forces. Officials Sunday said a man in an Afghan army uniform killed three coalition troops in the east on Saturday.