JALALABAD, Afghanistan - A suicidebomber in an Afghan army uniform killed five foreign and fourAfghan soldiers in an attack on a sprawling desert base in theeast of the country on Saturday, the highest toll on NATO-ledtroops in a single attack for several months.
The attack hit a newly built base in a remote
area whichstretches between Laghman and Nangarhar provinces. Home to the 201st Corps of the Afghan army, it is one of thebiggest military installations in increasingly volatile easternAfghanistan, said Nehman Atefi, a press officer in the base.
"In a suicide blast, by an attacker using a military uniformat an army base, four soldiers were killed and eight othersincluding four interpreters were wounded," said Afghan DefenseMinistry spokesman Zahir Azimy. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)said in a statement that five foreign soldiers were killed. Aspokesman said initial reports indicated the attack was onForward Operating Base Gamberi, in Laghman province, butconfirmed it was the same attack referred to by Azimy. He gaveno further details. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibilityfor the attack in an email statement, saying 12 foreign troopsand 14 Afghan soldiers were killed. The group frequentlyexaggerates casualty figures. He said the bomber was from central Daikondi province, hadenlisted with the Afghan army a month ago and detonated hisexplosives at a meeting between Afghan and foreign troops. The Defence Ministry declined immediate comment on whetherthe attacker was a real soldier, which would make the killingsthe latest in series of deadly attacks by "rogue" members of theAfghan security forces on their colleagues and foreign mentors. The uniform does not prove conclusively the attacker was asoldier because Afghan security force outfits are readilyavailable in markets across the country -- although their saleis technically illegal. On Friday, a suicide bomber in police uniform evaded tightsecurity in police Headquarters in Kandahar city and killed KhanMohammad Mujahid provincial police chief of Kandahar.
