Afghanistan: Coalition forces fend off Taliban attack with air strikes

An attack by the Taliban near the US military base Bagram in Afghanistan has been averted with air strikes. A spokesman for the NATO mission "Resolute Support" said. The latter had initially only informed that the attack, which had begun Wednesday, had been repelled, without giving details.

All seven attackers were killed, said Nasrat Rahimi, a spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry. In addition, two civilians were killed and more than 70 people were injured.

The Taliban were known for the attack. The Air Force base, some 50 kilometers north of the capital Kabul, is the largest base of coalition forces and the headquarters of the US military in the country. Initially, there were only six assailants and two civilians who had been killed. Five Georgian soldiers were also slightly injured, said the Ministry of Defense in Tbilisi. According to Gudor Kudosi, the other injured are civilians.

Pompeo condemns the attack

The attackers had first detonated two car bombs near the base in the morning. Subsequently, several of them tried to get to the heavily secured terrain. Finally, they entrenched themselves in a nearby building. In the explosions above all a facility had been made, which was intended for the medical care of the people living there and has just been renovated.

Prior to the air raids, all residents of surrounding houses were called upon to move to safety, local authorities said. The attacks ended the 14-hour attack by the Islamists, it said. It was not until the weekend that the Taliban and the US resumed their direct talks for an agreement on ways to peace after an interruption.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo strongly condemned the "coordinated terrorist attack". "The people of Afghanistan deserve to end those senseless acts of violence," he told journalists in Washington. The building, which was to be rebuilt for the Afghans, had been severely damaged in the attack.