Military helicopters of the Afghan security forces carried out airstrikes on a hideout of the Taliban militants in the capital Kabul after the group conducted a major rocket attack on the presidential palace and diplomatic quarter on Tuesday, local media reported.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st August, 2018) Military helicopters of the Afghan security forces carried out airstrikes on a hideout of the Taliban militants in the capital Kabul after the group conducted a major rocket attack on the presidential palace and diplomatic quarter on Tuesday, local media reported.
Afghan media reported earlier in the day that the Taliban fired up to 22 rockets in Kabul at around 09:00 local time (04:30 GMT) during President Ashraf Ghani's Eid speech at a ceremony in the presidential palace. No injuries in the incident have been reported. A representative of the Russian Embassy in Kabul told Sputnik that the mission was not affected by the attack. Two militants were reportedly killed in the clashes between the army and the Taliban, which are underway.
The military helicopter had attacked the militants' hideout located near the Eidgah mosque, from where at least two rockets had reportedly been launched, the TOLOnews broadcaster reported.
The escalation in Kabul comes just two days after Ghani announced a ceasefire with the Taliban timed to the Eid-al-Adha Muslim holiday. Ghani said that the truce would be in place only if the militants stick to it and cease hostilities. The Taliban, however, reportedly refused to declare the ceasefire.
