Suicide bombers attack fuel depot near Kandahar Airport

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) —  August 16 2011

At least two suicide bombers attacked a fuel depot near Kandahar International Airport late Monday evening, leaving at least three people dead and six wounded, officials said.

Wearing vests packed with explosives, the militants stormed the compound, which is run by an international contractor called Supreme Group, according to provincial government spokesman Zalmai Ayubi.

One man drove a minibus toward the facility and detonated himself as he approached the main security gate, clearing the way for at least one other militant to enter the compound and engage in a firefight with security personnel, according to Ayubi.

That man was later killed in the subsequent gun battle with police and security guards.

NATO, meanwhile, was not involved in the fight but had been monitoring the situation, as coalition forces encourage local and national forces to take on more prominent security roles throughout the country, said Maj. Jason Waggoner, a spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

The airport is located southeast of Kandahar City, long considered a hotbed of insurgent activity, and is used for both military and civilian fights  Read more here