KABUL - Suicide bombers and militants firing mortars attacked Kabul's airport during a visit by US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Wednesday, prompting a US air strike that accidentally killed civilians, officials said.
The clashes and casualties overshadowed a visit intended to demonstrate US support for the Afghan government and provided a sharp reminder of the risks associated with a more aggressive US policy that is expected to increase the number of air strikes.
Hours after Mattis touched down in Kabul, militants fired high explosive ammunition including mortar rounds near the main airport and detonated several suicide vests in an attack claimed by both the Taliban and Islamic State.