20 dead as US, Afghans battle suicide bombers

[laststeamtrain]

Source: AP

20 dead as US, Afghans battle suicide bombers

By FISNIK ABRASHI and RAHIM FAIEZ, Associated Press Writerss – 28 mins ago

KABUL – Eleven Taliban suicide bombers attacked government buildings in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, sparking running gunbattles that killed at least 20 people and wounded three U.S. troops, officials said. U.S. and Afghan troops freed 20 hostages taken by the insurgents.

The assault began around 10 a.m. when a suicide bomber in a burqa attacked the governor's compound in Khost, an eastern city on the border with Pakistan that houses a major American base. That blast was followed soon after by a suicide car bomb explosion, said Wazir Pacha, the spokesman for the provincial police chief.

<snip>

Khost residents hid from booming explosions and running street clashes that lasted until 5 p.m. At least eleven insurgents and nine others — including police and civilians — died, the Defense Ministry said.

A Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, claimed that 30 suicide bombers had attacked the government buildings. A U.S. spokesman summed up the chaos in the midst of battle: "A lot of stuff is going on right now."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090512/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan

[shadowknows69]

1. I have to be nitpicky about the headline

Wouldn't they be alleged or attempted suicide bombers until they actually blow themselves up and how do you battle someone who has blown themselves up anyway?

[laststeamtrain]

2. "a suicide bomber in a burqa"--maybe the burqa had a logo on it?

A U.S. spokesman summed up the chaos in the midst of battle: "A lot of stuff is going on right now."

[shadowknows69]

3. Understatement of the year.