Opposition claims Kabul rocket attacks

ISLAMABAD, Feb 4 (Reuters) - An Afghan opposition coalition claimed responsibility on Wednesday for rocket attacks on Kabul and said it would strike the capital again unless the Taleban militia ended air raids on opposition positions.

Abdullah, a spokesman for the northern-based opposition coalition, told the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) news agency by telephone from Afghanistan that his forces fired rockets on Kabul which injured one child.

Abdullah (one name) told AIP that the attacks would continue unless the Taleban, which control Kabul and two thirds of the country, ended air raids on opposition positions.

He told AIP, which is based in the Pakistani border town of Peshawar, that civilians living close to Kabul airport, the apparent target of the rocket attacks, should move to safer areas unless the Taleban ended the air raids.

He was speaking as Kabul residents reported that the fourth rocket in 24 hours had hit Kabul airport, which is used for civilian, aid and military flights.

There appeared to be no damage to the runway, witnesses said.

A child was injured on Tuesday by a Soviet-built Frog-7 missile that hit the eastern Yakatoot suburb close to the airport.

Two more rockets landed in open ground in the southwestern Dashti Barchi suburb but there were no reports of casualties. REUTERS