20-30 rockets fired at Kabul international airport; Taliban says US defence secretary James Mattis was target

Kabul: The Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan was on Wednesday attacked with rocket fire, TOLO News and news agencies reported. TOLO reported that between 20 and 30 rockets had been fired at the Kabul airport and that the Taliban had claimed responsibility. According to TOLO, the Taliban said that US Defence Secretary James Mattis, who arrived in Afghanistan earlier in the day, was the target of the attack.
TOLO further reported that the rocket attack began at about 11.15 am and that all flights at the airport had been cancelled following the attack.
News agencies AFP and Reuters separately reported that the rockets landed at the Kabul airport after United States Defence Secretary James Mattis landed in Afghanistan. Mattis, who landed in Afghanistan with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, arrived unannounced in Kabul.
TOLO reported that Mattis and Stoltenberg met with General John Nicholson, the US commander in Afghanistan. Mattis later met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
Mattis was in India on Tuesday; he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and National Security Adivsor Ajit Doval.
There were no immediate details on casualties or damage. Taliban has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.