Taliban attack military base in southeast Afghanistan

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan

A suicide car bomber killed an Afghan National Army soldier in a Taliban attack on a base in southeast Afghanistan early Friday, an official said.

Fazal Khuda, spokesman for the army’s 203rd Thunder Corps, said seven other soldiers were wounded and two attackers shot dead in the assault.

He added that fighting was ongoing at the base in Sabari district, Khost province, which lies on the Pakistan border.

Taliban spokesman Zabehullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack and said “scores” of soldiers had been killed.

The assault follows a failed attack on a joint Afghan-U.S. base in the provincial capital a week ago. The camp is used to coordinate drone strikes on militants across the border in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry said Friday that up to 55 militants had been killed over the previous 24 hours.