Taliban kill at least eight in attack on Polish-US military base in Afghanistan
Taliban fighters walk with their weapons after joining Afghan government forces for a ceremony in Ghazni province on January 16, 2012. Some 20 Taliban fighters including a key commander laid down arms and joined the peace process in Ghazni province. The Taliban, ousted from power by a US-led invasion in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, announced earlier this month that they planned to set up a political office in Qatar ahead of possible talks with the United States. AFP PHOTO/Aref Yaqubi
The Taliban attacked a Provincial Reconstruction Team base in Ghazni, Afghanistan, on Wednesday, killing at least eight people and injuring at least 62 others.
A US soldier, four members of the Afghan Public Protection Force and three civilians were killed in the attack.
Some 10 Polish soldiers and 52 Afghan security force members and civilians were wounded.
The base, which supports local government officials and development projects, is mostly staffed by Polish soldiers, but also houses Afghan and American troops.
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The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.
Suicide bombers in two vehicles blew themselves up at the southern entrance to the base, which allowed Taliban gunmen to enter the base’s outer boundary, Ghazni police officials said.
A third suicide car bomber was stopped by Afghan and coalition officials.
Afghan and Western troops eventually killed the attackers after a gun battle that lasted six hours. Ten Taliban attackers were reported dead.
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