Seven killed in attack on NATO base in Afghanistan

By Atia Abawi, NBC News

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Insurgents attacked a NATO base in eastern Afghanistan Friday, killing at least seven Afghan security forces and injuring 12 others, local police said.

The attack began when a truck rammed the gates of forward operating base Salerno in Khost province and then the explosives it was carrying detonated.

Slideshow: Afghanistan: Nation at a crossroads

Baz Ratner / Reuters

More than ten years after the beginning of the war, Afghanistan faces external pressure to reform as well as ongoing internal conflicts.

Launch slideshow

The blast was followed by small arms fire between the insurgents and the international forces.

Number 2 al-Qaida leader in Afghanistan killed in NATO airstrike

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NATO said the situation was under control and troops were clearing the area to make sure no insurgents remained in the vicinity.

Afghan family, including six children, killed in NATO air strike

It did not confirm if NATO forces had sustained casualties.

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Violence has surged across Afghanistan since the Taliban began its yearly summer offensive in April, vowing to target Afghan government and security forces, as well as the 130,000 foreign troops in the country.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Explore related topics: afghanistan, nato, base, attacked, insurgents, afghan-security-forces

squidgod2000

This is why we always have the Afghans man the gates.

#1 - Fri Jun 1, 2012 11:24 AM EDT

Not in the 1%

Where is the israeli army when you need them?

#2 - Fri Jun 1, 2012 11:27 AM EDT

Anthony R. Seta

Sorry for the loss of the Afghan soldiers. If they are our allies, then we should view their deaths in the same manner that we would mourn French, Australian, British or Germans.

Nonetheless, this is the fight that the post-Taliban government must get prepared for. This is their battle for their homeland. The US has done all it can do, other than maintain a permanent garrison of many tens of thousands of infantry and support personnel for next century.

At the end of 2014, the counter-terrorism force and strategy will be all that is left of US influence. While still significant, the enormous quantities of standard US infantry to garrison in these remote provinces and various bases will be gone.

Good luck Karzai government and provincial allies that stay loyal to Kabul. I wish you the best.

7 votes

#3 - Fri Jun 1, 2012 11:32 AM EDT

maddy indabuff NY

Well put Anthony, I hope that they can survive because in all honesty I think Afganistan will be, in a sense, the front line of Muslim against radical Muslim's. Their success of a land free of constant death will spread through the ME. If they can accomplish it, let us hope, that those of other countries who see it will want it and finally rise up and do something to make it happen. It's a long hard road filled with a lot of maybe's but there has to be a beginning for there to be an end to this radical islam.

Now if only we would adopt the idea of teaching them to defend themselves into the practice of teaching them to feed themselve's in the countries we just give food to. We could do away with a big reason many in Africa are joining these radical's. Because of the promise of money to support themselves and feed their families. We need to teach them to provide what we have been giving so they have a choice other than the lie's and promise's of wealth the islamist are useing to recruit them. Teaching them to feed themselve's instead of just feeding them is as true and important today as it was when ever it was said.

#3.1 - Fri Jun 1, 2012 1:26 PM EDT

bushay

As I have ben saying for years-get all nato and Americans out of thet sewer of a country-when America and nato leaves the taliban will take over whole country in two months-we have waisted allot of money and mainly our troops-what dam good has it done to be there...