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Afghan unrest: Taliban attack on Kabul airport 'over' Afghan unrest: Taliban attack on Kabul airport over
(about 3 hours later)
Heavily armed militants who attacked Kabul International Airport with grenades and automatic weapons have been repelled, Afghan officials say.Heavily armed militants who attacked Kabul International Airport with grenades and automatic weapons have been repelled, Afghan officials say.
The four insurgents who took part are dead, the authorities said, with one security official wounded.The four insurgents who took part are dead, the authorities said, with one security official wounded.
The Taliban said they carried out Thursday morning's attack which lasted for nearly five hours.The Taliban said they carried out Thursday morning's attack which lasted for nearly five hours.
Deputy Interior Minister for Security Mohammad Ayub Salangi said the area was "completely cleared".Deputy Interior Minister for Security Mohammad Ayub Salangi said the area was "completely cleared".
"The last insurgent has just blown himself up, because he knew [Afghan forces] were on the way to capture him," he said."The last insurgent has just blown himself up, because he knew [Afghan forces] were on the way to capture him," he said.
Eyewitnesses said the militants took over an unused under-construction building near the heavily guarded airport.Eyewitnesses said the militants took over an unused under-construction building near the heavily guarded airport.
All flights from the airport were diverted to other Afghan cities.All flights from the airport were diverted to other Afghan cities.
The militants are believed to have used a car bomb to gain access to the building, says the BBC's Karen Allen in Kabul.The militants are believed to have used a car bomb to gain access to the building, says the BBC's Karen Allen in Kabul.
Eyewitness Ramin Anwari told the BBC that neighbours were woken by the sound of fighting.
"I could hear more than 10 explosions, some really heavy, in a matter of some minutes coming from the area across the airport," he said.
Afghan police and special forces engaged the militants in buildings near the airport.Afghan police and special forces engaged the militants in buildings near the airport.
An interior ministry official told the BBC that the airport itself had not been damaged in the attack, claiming "not a single rocket" had landed inside.An interior ministry official told the BBC that the airport itself had not been damaged in the attack, claiming "not a single rocket" had landed inside.
The airport attack comes two days after at least 42 people were killed in a suicide attack at a market in Paktika province in the east of the country. Meanwhile, Afghan TV has reported that President Karzai's security team has been ambushed in Zurmat, on its way to Paktika Province in the east of the country, where 42 people were killed in a suicide attack two days ago.
Earlier this week Afghanistan's two presidential candidates reached a deal to resolve a dispute over the results of last month's presidential election. An unconfirmed number of people have been wounded and captured.
The contenders, Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani, agreed to accept the outcome of a vote audit after earlier allegations of voter fraud. The airport attack came as Afghanistan began an official audit of all votes in the disputed results of last month's presidential election.
The dispute had revived fears for Afghanistan's stability after the withdrawal of US-led forces later this year. The two presidential contenders, Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani, agreed earlier this week that they would accept the outcome of the audit as final, to resolve their dispute.
President Obama says that if the two candidates keep their commitments, Afghanistan will witness its first democratic transfer of power.
The audit is expected to take up to four weeks.
Are you in the area? Do you have any information to share? Send us your comments. You can email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line 'Kabul Airport'.Are you in the area? Do you have any information to share? Send us your comments. You can email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line 'Kabul Airport'.
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