Several Taliban suicide attackers tried to storm a US military base in eastern Afghanistan today and at least six have been found dead, a provincial governor said.
Nato's International Security Assistance Force confirmed that a base in the eastern town of Khost, 30km from the border with Pakistan, was under attack but could give few details.
"We have heard about suicide bombers on foot. They are receiving indirect fire," an officer in the Isaf media office in Kabul said.
He could not give details because fighting at Camp Salerno was ongoing, he said.
The Khost governor, Arsala Jamal, said several men had tried to attack the base.
"According to our reports about 30 Taliban tried to attack the Salerno base. They were fired at. We have found six bodies which were all wearing suicide vests," he said.
"Some of them have blown themselves up. Others are hiding in nearby houses and corn fields. The troops are searching for them."
Four Afghan army troops had been wounded in the fighting, the governor said.
The attackers had also launched rockets at the base, an Afghan army officer said on condition of anonymity.
The new attack comes a day after a suicide bombing outside Camp Salerno killed 10 Afghan labourers and wounded 13 more.
Security forces were able to prevent a second suicide attack moments later, the US-led coalition and Afghan officials said. The Taliban claimed responsibility.
* AFP
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Volunteers offer workers a lifeline
Community volunteers have swung into action delivering food packages and toiletries to the men.
When provisions are distributed, the men line up in long queues for packets of rice, flour, sugar, salt, pulses, milk, biscuits, shaving kits, soap and telecom cards.
Volunteers from St Mary’s Catholic Church said some workers came to the church to pray for their families and ask for assistance.
Boxes packed with essential food items were distributed to workers in the Dubai Investments Park and Ras Al Khaimah camps last week. Workers at the Sonapur camp asked for Dh1,600 towards their gas bill.
“Especially in this year of tolerance we consider ourselves privileged to be able to lend a helping hand to our needy brothers in the Actco camp," Father Lennie Connully, parish priest of St Mary’s.
Workers spoke of their helplessness, seeing children’s marriages cancelled because of lack of money going home. Others told of their misery of being unable to return home when a parent died.
“More than daily food, they are worried about not sending money home for their family,” said Kusum Dutta, a volunteer who works with the Indian consulate.