Rockets fired at Kabul's international airport as US' Jim Mattis lands in Afghanistan

Kabul: Shortly after US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis arrived in Afghanistan, several rockets were fired at Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport on Wednesday.

TOLO News quoting Afghanistan airport officials claimed that several rockets were fired at the Kabul airport, which led to the cancellation of dozens of scheduled flights.

However, there was no loss of life due to the incident.

Sources in the Afghan media also confirmed that around 20-30 rockets, fired from an undisclosed location, landed at the Kabul airport and the surrounding area.

The sources further said that the NATO base adjoining the airport could be the main target.

The incident also triggered evacuation of passengers by the airport officials.

Military helicopters hovered over the site and the airport's sirens were heard after the incident. Sporadic gun fire erupted briefly later. 

The security forces also launched a search operation for the attackers.

However, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack as yet, according to IANS.

The Kabul airport came under attack shortly after United States Defence Secretary James Mattis arrived here on an unannounced visit.

Mattis is scheduled to meet NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and discuss ways to implement President Donald Trump's strategy of winning the war in Afghanistan with its President Ashraf Ghani.

Mattis is also due to hold talks with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and other Afghan government ministers. Later, he will hold a press conference with Ghani and the NATO chief, CNN reported.

Mattis' unannounced visit to Afghanistan, after his two-day trip in India, assumes significance as President Trump said that he would rely on greater regional cooperation to stabilise the security situation in Afghanistan.