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1st LD Wrtiethru: 37 civilians killed in Afghan Taliban attack near Kandahar airport

Xinhua, December 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

At least 37 civilians have been killed and 18 others wounded in a 20-hour siege by Taliban militants against a residential complex near the airport in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, sources said on Wednesday.

The heavy clashes which broke out Tuesday evening also left nine militants and eight security force members dead.

"Sporadic clashes continued Wednesday afternoon. Preliminary information showed that 37 civilians were killed and 18 others wounded," a security source told Xinhua anonymously.

The residential complex accommodates apartment buildings and houses where families of military and high-ranking officials live.

Several security force members also sustained injuries, with one militant detained during the counter-offensive raid.

"A group of suicide bombers entered the Shahid Pacha School and opened fire on residential place in Daman district, southern Kandahar province, yesterday evening at 06:30 pm. One of the suicide bombers blew himself up at the entrance gate at first and opened way to other attackers," the Afghan Interior Ministry said in a statement earlier Wednesday.

"The terrorist attack has led to casualties but details about the incident will be released later," the statement added.

At least one incident of hostage-taking attack was also reported.

The attackers, who were disguised in army uniforms, fired several rocket propelled grenades towards the airport vicinity.

Operations of the airport have been suspended since the attack.

The Kandahar International Airport houses several military installations, including a military base where hundreds of NATO-led foreign soldiers stay.

Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, a purported Taliban spokesman, told local media that the attack was part of the Taliban's annual offensive codenamed Hamalyat-e-Azm or Resolute Operation.

On Monday night, two militants were killed and five security personnel wounded after Taliban attacked a police station in Kandahar city, some 450 km south of the Afghan capital. Enditem