Explosions, gunfire heard around Kabul international airport

[undeterred]

5. Taliban claim Kabul attack, say military airport is target

KABUL, Afghanistan: At least five heavily armed insurgents were engaged in an hours-long gunbattle with security forces on the perimeter of Afghanistan's main airport Monday after they tried to attack Nato's airport headquarters with rocket-propelled grenades, assault rifles and at least one large bomb, the army and police said.

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

Kabul police chief Gen. Mohammad Ayub Salangi said at least two insurgents had been killed so far. There were no casualties among police or civilians, he added.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack saying the insurgents were targeting Nato.

It was the latest in a series of attacks against the capital since the start of the year. Taliban insurgents have launched intense attacks across the country as Afghan forces take over most security responsibility ahead of most foreign troops' withdrawal next year, more than a decade after the American-led invasion to oust the Taliban regime for sheltering al-Qaeda's leadership after the Islamic extremist group launched the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States.

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