Attack on military air base in southeastern Afghanistan

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan

At least three militants attacked a military air base used by Afghan and U.S. forces in southeastern Afghanistan on Saturday, according to a senior security official.

Faizullah Gherat, security chief of Khost province, said attackers tried to enter the military airbase but were prevented by guards stationed there. “Our forces have shot one armed attacker dead, and at least two [would be] suicide attackers are at large, we are looking for them,” he said.

Nine people, including seven CIA agents were killed in a suicide attack carried by a Jordanian militant associated with al-Qaeda on the same military base in December 2009. Camp Chapman in Khost is said to be instrumental in providing intelligence to the CIA for drone attacks across the border in Pakistan.

Earlier this week, a brazen attack on Afghanistan’s biggest hospital frequented by hundreds of civilians and security forces claimed at least 49 lives. The attack on the Sardar Dawood Khan Hospital in Kabul on Wednesday was claimed by Daesh.

In their ongoing ‘Spring Offensive’, the Taliban had declared to target key military installations and prominent government figures.