Taliban militants in Afghanistan have launched a rocket attack against Kabul International Airport’s military wing, destroying the helicopter of President Hamid Karzai.
Afghan Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Abdul Wahab Wardak said the militants fired two rockets in Thursday attack, but only one of them exploded. He added that the attack destroyed the Russian-made helicopter used to transport the president but no casualties were reported.
The airport is one of the most heavily-guarded areas of the capital.
Taliban militants have stepped up their attacks against the government and foreign forces as part of their annual summer offensive. The attack followed a bombing on an Afghan Air Force bus that killed eight Afghan officers in the capital on Wednesday.
The Taliban has vowed to increase attacks on Afghan forces and US-led troops, their bases, diplomatic missions and vehicle convoys before the drawdown of the US-led mission by the end of the year.
The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but insecurity continues to rise across the country, despite the presence of thousands of US-led troops.