Afghanistan:7 dead as suicide bombers storm US base

Six assailants and a NATO soldier were killed in a clash following a Taliban attack on a joint US-Afghan military base in the Ghanikhel district of eastern Nangarhar province on Saturday morning, officials said.

A group of suicide bombers stormed the military centre at 7.30am, sparking a fierce clash with the troops, the Nangarhar governor's spokesman told Pajhwok Afghan News. With the killing of six attackers, the 30-minute fire exchange ended, Ahmad Zia Abdulzai said, adding the joint force had suffered no casualties.

"An International Security Assistance Force service member died following a suicide attack by enemy forces in eastern Afghanistan today," the alliance said in a brief statement. Five assailants were killed as a result of the attack. Mualim Mashoom, the district chief, also said six of the attackers had been killed. However, he had no information about American casualties.

Meanwhile, the Taliban claimed the attack that happened at 8am. The group's spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said a large number of foreign soldiers had been killed and wounded. District hospital director, Dr. Gul Rahman, said two injured civilians had been evacuated to hospital from the site. The wounded were in stable condition, he added. Resident Zahidur Rahman said the area was jolted by a powerful explosion followed by intense gunfire. He feared some dwellers might have been wounded.