Afghanistan: Nine Afghans killed in suicide attack on US base

Afghanistan: Nine Afghans killed in suicide attack on US base (NSI News Source Info) KABUL August 18, 2008: A suicide car bomb blew up outside a US base in eastern Afghanistan on Monday, killing nine Afghan civilians and wounding 13 more, Afghan and US military official said.The blast did not penetrate the base in the eastern town of Khost and Afghan security forces were able to prevent a second explosion moments later, they said."Insurgents detonated a vehicle-borne IED (improvised explosive device) outside a US base in Khost province today, killing nine Afghan local nationals and wounding another 13 according to initial reports," the US-led coalition said in a statement.A secretary to the Khost governor, Mohammad Bilal, gave the same toll. "It was a suicide car bombing against the gates of the Salerno camp," he said."Moments later a second car bomber came and wanted to detonate his bombs. Police identified him and opened fire on him. He came out of the car and escaped on a motorcycle and disappeared," Bilal said.The second car bomb was destroyed by experts, he said.US troops had help to evacuate the wounded to a base hospital and were providing medical care, the coalition statement said.The attack came as Afghanistan was marking its independence from Britain 89 years ago with a security clampdown in the capital amid warnings from Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) of possible attacks.There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack but it was similar to scores carried out by the Taliban who have regrouped after being driven from government in late 2001 to launch a growing insurgency.