US soldiers at Kandahar airport have been attacked shortly before the arrival of helicopters carrying detainees from the conflict in Afghanistan, US military officials reported.
Seven people were detained after patrols were sent out to investigate yesterday, and several others who may have been involved in the attack in southern Afghanistan escaped, the officials said.
The heaviest firing was on the airport's western perimeter around one kilometre from the terminal building. It was unclear if the explosions were inside or outside the base fence.
Operations in Afghanistan by the US military and its allies to mop up remnants of the vanquished Taliban and the al-Qaeda are based at Kandahar airport.
There are about 4,100 military personnel at the airport, with the majority from the United States, while Canada has more than 400 troops at the base.
Shortly after the firing, three US Chinook transport helicopters landed in the prison compound. But the military declined to elaborate on who was onboard.
The military gave no other information about the attack but defence officials in Washington said there were no casualties among US forces.