Rockets hit Ghazni during President Ghani's visit

Three rockets have hit the Afghan city of Ghazni during a visit by President Ashraf Ghani as Taliban militants ramp up attacks across various parts of the country.

At least two rockets landed within 300 meters of the governor’s compound while a third struck farther off, Ghazni police spokesman Ahmad Khan Sirat said on Thursday.

The attacks took place as President Ghani was holding meetings with security officials, religious leaders and members of civil society in the building.

 Provincial deputy police chief Ramazan Ali Mohseni said no one was killed or wounded in the attack which was claimed by the Taliban.

Presidential spokesman Haroon Chakhansuri played down the incident, saying it was far from the governor's office.

Ghazni is still struggling to return to normal after it was overrun by militants last month. It bears the scars of days of heavy combat in August when thousands of militants stormed the city.

More than 200 civilians were killed and hundreds more wounded during the five-day assault which also left at least 100 members of Afghan security forces dead.

The attackers were eventually driven out with heavy losses, but the assault underlined Taliban's ability to mount large-scale attacks on major cities.

Many areas of Ghazni Province have been heavily contested by the Taliban in recent years. The militants had earlier seized the control of the Khawaja Omari district north of Ghazni and Ajrestan in the west of the province.

However, this was the first serious attempt by the Taliban to take the provincial capital, which is located on the main highway linking Kabul with Afghanistan's south. 

SS