Suicide bombers attack U.S. base in Afghanstan

[Hissyspit]

Source: Associated Press

Suicide bombers attack US base in Afghanstan

By RAHIM FAIEZ (Associated Press Writer)
From Associated Press
August 19, 2008 1:20 AM EDT
KABUL, Afghanistan - Suicide bombers tried unsuccessfully to storm a U.S. military base near Afghanistan-Pakistan border in a daring attack on a major American installation, officials said Tuesday. Six insurgents detonated their vests after being surrounded.

The attack came a day after a suicide bomb outside the same base killed 10 civilians and wounded 13 others. The fighting was still going on early Tuesday, said U.S. coalition spokesman 1st Lt. Nathan Perry. There have been no American deaths, he said.

The militants failed to gain entry to Camp Salerno in Khost city after launching waves of attacks just before midnight on Monday, said Arsallah Jamal, the governor of Khost. The base is just a few miles from Pakistan's border.

Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi, the Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman, said Afghan soldiers, aided by U.S. troops, chased and surrounded a group of insurgents, and that six militants blew themselves up when cornered. Seven other militants died in those explosions and a rolling gun battle, he said. "(The Afghan National Army) is saying that anytime we get close to them, they detonate themselves," Jamal said.

Read more: http://enews.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20080818/48aa4540_3ca6_1552620080819127938865

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[cal04]

1. Taliban kills 10 French soldiers

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24209002-12377,00.html

TEN French soldiers were killed in battles with the Taliban near the Afghan capital today as troops thwarted a second attack on a key US military base in as many days.

Military officials in Kabul said the fierce clashes started with an attack yesterday on an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) patrol in Sarobi district, about 50km east of the capital Kabul.

The French source, who requested anonymity, said the soldiers were killed following a "Taliban ambush''.

Most of the 3,000 French troops participating in the 40-nation ISAF are in Kabul province, which includes Sarobi, and Kapisa province, northeast of the capital.

It was the deadliest incident for international soldiers in post-Taliban Afghanistan, excluding helicopter or plane crashes. Nine US soldiers were killed in an attack on a base in northeastern Kunar province on July 13.

[frankieT]

3. 10 french paratroopers dead + more than 20 wounded

thank you Sarkozy !! :(

[maddezmom]

2. Taliban suicide bomber kills 10 Afghan civilians

Source: Reuters

KHOST, Afghanistan, Aug 18 (Reuters) - A Taliban suicide bomber rammed an explosives-packed car into the gate of the main U.S. military base in southeastern Afghanistan on Monday, killing 10 civilians as the country observed its Independence Day.

The bombing, which wounded 13, comes at a time of heightened security as military and diplomatic officials warned intelligence reports indicated the al Qaeda-backed Taliban were planning a large attack to coincide with the independence day celebrations.

"The victims were all poor labourers and civilians," the governor of Khost province, Arsala Jamal, told Reuters. "This was a barbaric act carried out by the enemies of Afghanistan at a time of celebration of independence."

As security forces were dealing with the aftermath of the first blast, two more suicide bombers in another car approached, but were shot dead by police before they were able to detonate their explosives, Jamal said.

more:

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP183819.htm