Okla-homey
8/19/2008, 07:03 AM
morans.
Taliban fighters try to storm US base in Afghanistan
Aug 19 04:45 AM US/Eastern
Taliban fighters attacked a US military base in eastern Afghanistan early Tuesday and at least 13 were killed, some in their own suicide blasts, Afghan officials said.
The attack on Camp Salerno, 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the border with Pakistan, came as NATO's International Security Assistance Force was involved in heavy fighting near Kabul after French troops were ambushed Monday.
About 30 fighters tried to storm Salerno, the largest US base in eastern Afghanistan, Khost province governor Arsala Jamal told AFP.
They struck a day after a suicide car bomb outside the base on Monday killed 10 Afghan labourers waiting to enter and wounded 13 more.
In Tuesday's attack the rebels were stopped about 1,000 metres (yards) from the camp, ISAF said in a statement.
Troops in the base had identified them "posturing to attack the base and engaged them with small-arms fire," it said. Helicopters arrived soon afterwards and opened fire on the rebels as they tried to flee, it said.
Seven were killed, six of them suicide bombers, ISAF said. Of those, three died after they detonated their suicide vests and three other would-be suicide bombers were killed by troops, who suffered no casualties.
Afghan defence ministry spokesman General Mohammad Zahir Azimi said 13 attackers were killed.
"Six blew themselves up, six others died in the explosions and one died in gunfire from commandos. Their bodies have been recovered," Azimi said.
Taliban fighters try to storm US base in Afghanistan
Aug 19 04:45 AM US/Eastern
Taliban fighters attacked a US military base in eastern Afghanistan early Tuesday and at least 13 were killed, some in their own suicide blasts, Afghan officials said.
The attack on Camp Salerno, 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the border with Pakistan, came as NATO's International Security Assistance Force was involved in heavy fighting near Kabul after French troops were ambushed Monday.
About 30 fighters tried to storm Salerno, the largest US base in eastern Afghanistan, Khost province governor Arsala Jamal told AFP.
They struck a day after a suicide car bomb outside the base on Monday killed 10 Afghan labourers waiting to enter and wounded 13 more.
In Tuesday's attack the rebels were stopped about 1,000 metres (yards) from the camp, ISAF said in a statement.
Troops in the base had identified them "posturing to attack the base and engaged them with small-arms fire," it said. Helicopters arrived soon afterwards and opened fire on the rebels as they tried to flee, it said.
Seven were killed, six of them suicide bombers, ISAF said. Of those, three died after they detonated their suicide vests and three other would-be suicide bombers were killed by troops, who suffered no casualties.
Afghan defence ministry spokesman General Mohammad Zahir Azimi said 13 attackers were killed.
"Six blew themselves up, six others died in the explosions and one died in gunfire from commandos. Their bodies have been recovered," Azimi said.