US base in Afghanistan under attack

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