Kandahar airport in southern Afghanistan was attacked last night when at least rockets hit its airfield, bringing all fight operations to a halt. The Taliban took responsibility for the attack, saying they targeted the airfield as it was being used for targeted their fighters. 

Authorities canceled all flight operations following the attack which partially damaged the airfield. This attack on the airfield had long been expected as the Afghan Air Force in recent days intensified airstrikes in Kandahar where fighting has intensified between insurgents and security forces. 

“Kandahar airport was targeted by us because the enemy were (sic) using it as a centre to conduct airstrikes against us," Zabiullah Mujahid,  the Taliban spokesperson, was quoted as saying by Reuters. 

Massoud Ahmad Pashtun, the director of the airport, confirmed the attack. Repair work is going on and the fight operations were expected to resume by Sunday evening, he said. 

Air dominance is one of the most key advantages that the Afghan government has over the emboldened Taliban that took control of over half of the country’s over 400 districts. Ground supply lines to several key districts have been cut off, making airfields the lifeline of the Afghan government operations against the Taliban. 

Experts believe the insurgent group would target more airfields in the coming days. Already the road connecting to the airport in Herat to the Heart city center is occupied by insurgents. 

Earlier also, the Taliban has repeatedly warned that they would target the Afghan Air Force, including killing pilots. In recent months, at least seven pilots were killed by the Taliban, according to a report by Reuters. Zabiullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, confirmed the killings and added they would target more pilots. 

More recently, the group has even targeted the family members of pilots, forcing many off-duty officers and pilots to either change their homes or to avoid visiting their places. Faced with the increased threats, many former pilots in Afghanistan have even applied for asylum in western countries. 

Concern about the safety of airforce officials is growing within the government. Trained pilots are costly affairs and take huge time and resources. “We can’t lose them,” Afghan National Security Advisor Hamidullah Mohib, said in a recent interview to BBC, calling them “critical asset.” 

With the departure of almost all foreign troops, there is growing concern about the sustainability of the Afghan Air Force, which relied on American contractors for maintenance work of its aircraft. Afghans themselves are not yet equipped for the task and US and Afghan officials have not yet disclosed any future plan regarding it. Media reports recently confirmed that maintenance work of some of the Afghan fighter aircraft was recently done in one of the US bases in a gulf country.  

Significantly, the Taliban has recently pointed out fingers at India, alleging that one of the MI-17 aircraft, which was donated to Afghan forces, was used in the bombing of a hospital near Herat. 

The pointed reference by the Taliban might be a warning signal to India which, with all likelihood, is expected to increase its assistance to the embattled Afghan security forces. Many experts also see sustaining the operational capabilities of the Afghan Air Force as one of the areas where New Delhi could play a role in the coming days. 

 (SAM)