Taliban attack biggest Nato base in Afghanistan

An audacious gun, grenade and suicide attack on the largest Nato base in Afghanistan sparked hours of battles yesterday, killing an American contract worker and 11 militants.

Nine soldiers from the US-led foreign military force were wounded in the seven-hour gunfight at Bagram Airfield, about 60 kilometres north of Kabul, military spokesman Master Sergeant Tom Clementson said.

The assault by Taliban militants, one day after a suicide car bomber killed five US soldiers, a Canadian colonel and 12 Afghans in Kabul, highlighted the increasing sophistication and relentless pace of the nearly nine-year conflict.

Bagram is run primarily by the US military and is the biggest Nato base in the country.

The Taliban, which is leading the insurgency against the Afghan government and Western troops, claimed responsibility for the attack. The militia said 20 suicide bombers had taken part, but regularly exaggerates its claims.

"The attack started at around 4 to 4.30 in the morning (and) it was concluded at around 10.30 to 11.00 am," the last six hours comprising "light and sporadic" gunfire, Sgt Clementson said.

He said a US civilian contractor in "the vicinity of one of the exchanges" was killed along with 11 militants. Of the nine soldiers injured, two had returned to duty and the others were in "stable condition".

Sgt Clementson added that at least four of the attackers were armed with suicide vests and that they were killed before detonating their devices. The insurgents had not been able to "breach the base".

Another coalition spokeswoman said: "They targeted a gate but couldn't enter.... Soldiers' response was pretty quick."

Nato's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said the attack "included rockets, small arms and grenades".