Seven militants were killed Tuesday night after Afghan and NATO-led forces launched an operation in Jalalabad city, the capital of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, some 150 km east of Kabul, spokesman for the provincial administration said Wednesday.
"A group of militants carried out a rocket attack against Jalalabad airport at around 11:30 p.m. (local time) but security forces rushed to the site of the attack and encountered the militants, as a result seven militants had been killed," Ahmad Zia Abdulzai told Xinhua.
According to Abdulzai, Nangarhar's provincial governor Gul Agha Shaizai was in a meeting with security officials at Jalalabad airport when the rocket attack occurred.
The rocket attack caused no causalities, he said.
However, Zabihullah Mujahid, who claims to speak for Taliban outfit in talk with media from undisclosed location, claimed of responsibility, saying soldiers had been killed.
Mujahid also confirmed three Taliban fighters were killed in the fire exchange.
Both security forces and Taliban fighters have intensified activities to consolidate positions as spring traditionally known as fighting season has heralded in the war-ravaged Afghanistan.