Civilian flights were suspended in Kabul International Airport after four unidentified gunmen opened fire for four hours on Thursday.

Around 4:30 am, the gunmen, only identified as members of the Taliban, occupied two buildings under construction and fired rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons to the airport.

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In an interview with CBC News, Afghan General Afzal Aman said Kabul International Airport is home to NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) that has been fighting the Taliban for the last 12 years.

Taliban militants took the responsibility for the attack.

"A number of mujahedeen armed with heavy and light weapons have launched an attack on Kabul International Airport," Taliban spokesman Zabiuhallah Mujahid told the media.

There were no casualties during the pre-dawn attack except for the four attackers who were killed by authorities or have blown themselves up, including a security personnel who got wounded during the struggle.

The airport attack came at a time when a political vacuum is taking place in the country. Last month, Afghanistan held its second round of heavily-contested presidential election that has put the country in great political uncertainty.

The militants were after the audit of ballots from the previous month's presidential elections.

The Afghan army and ISAF transferred around 23,000 ballots to the capital for auditing at 100-verification stations. They were intended to help resolve the political crisis that has exposed Afghanistan against threatening ethnic and Islamic divisions.

The deadlock between presidential candidates Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani has become a source of fear that the ethnic violence during the 1990s will recur this time.

Over 8.1 million votes cast in last month's elections will be reviewed for at least three weeks. Results are expected to be honored by both candidates after a deal brokered by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, ending weeks of bitter clash and accusations of fraud between the contenders.

TagsAfganistan, ballots, attack, bombing, Kabul International Airport