Coalition, Afghan Forces Repel Taliban Attacks on Bases in East Afghanistan

28 August 2010

Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers stand guard near the body of a suicide attacker near US military camp Salerno on the outskirts of Khost city, 28 Aug 2010

Officials with the international forces in Afghanistan say insurgents launched the attacks early Saturday against coalition outposts in Khost province.

"At approximately 4 a.m., an unknown number of insurgents wearing U.S. military uniforms simultaneously launched attacks against Forward Operating Base Salerno and Forward Operation Base Chapman with indirect fire, rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire," said ISAF spokesman James Judge.

A Taliban spokesman said the militant group attacked with about 30 fighters, including suicide bombers.

Judge said coalition forces discovered at least one of the attackers on the Salerno base had ties to the Haqqani network, an Afghan Taliban group believed to be based in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal region along Afghanistan's border.

"Mudasir, a Haqqani Network facilitator for improvised explosive devices and suicide bombers, along with two other insurgents, were killed in an air strike carried out by coalition forces as they were observed fleeing the attack in a vehicle," Judge added.

Following the attack, Afghan police said they seized two vehicles loaded with explosives and ammunition.