Taliban suicide bomber kills four at NATO base in Afghanistan

Record ID: 79117

  • Title: Taliban suicide bomber kills four at NATO base in Afghanistan
  • Date: 12th November 2016
  • Summary: BAGRAM AIR BASE, KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (NOVEMBER 12, 2016) (REUTERS) AFGHAN SOLDIERS GUARDING NEAR THE ENTRANCE GATE OF BAGRAM AIR BASE AFTER A TALIBAN SUICIDE BOMBER BLEW HIMSELF UP INSIDE THE BASE MORE OF AFGHAN SOLDIERS GUARDING AT THE ENTRANCE GATE OF BAGRAM AIR BASE SOLDIER HOLDING RIFLE PEOPLE GATHERING AND TALKING NEAR THE BASE ROW OF SHOPS NEAR BAGRAM AIR BASE (SOUNDBITE) (Dari) RESIDENT OF BAGRAM DISTRICT, SAYED QASIM, SAYING: "It was 05:25 a.m. local time when a powerful explosion took place inside the base. I don't know how many people are killed or wounded but right after the blast happened, all the roads leading to the base were blocked. Now the police don't allow anyone to get close to the base." AFGHAN POLICE GUARDING THE STREET LEADING TO THE AIR BASE POLICE VEHICLE BLOCKING THE STREET ARMED POLICE IN THE STREET SECURITY BLIMP FLYING OVER BAGRAM AIR BASE
  • Embargoed: 27th November 2016 11:44
  • Keywords: Bagram air base NATO Kabul suicide bombing Taliban Afghanistan
  • Location: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN
  • City: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN
  • Country: Afghanistan
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Insurgencies
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015850UO7
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A Taliban suicide bomber dressed as a labourer blew himself up at the NATO air base at Bagram north of the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday (November 12), killing at least four people and wounding 18, officials said.
    Waheed Sediqqi, spokesman for the Parwan provincial governor, said the bomber managed to enter the heavily protected site, the largest U.S. base in Afghanistan, and was standing in a queue with Afghan labourers when he detonated a suicide vest.
    Sediqqi said four people were killed and 18 wounded. There was no immediate word on the identity of the victims.
    "It was 05:25 a.m. local time when a powerful explosion took place inside the base. I don't know how many people are killed or wounded but right after the blast happened, all the roads leading to the base were blocked. Now the police don't allow anyone to get close to the base," said Sayed Qasim, a resident of Bagram district.
    The attack, which was claimed by the Taliban, underlines the foreign policy challenge that will face U.S. President-elect Donald Trump when he takes office in January.
    It follows a suicide attack on the German consulate in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif late on Thursday (November 10) night which killed four people and wounded more than 100 others. That attack was retaliation for air strikes near the northern city of Kunduz last week which killed more than 30 civilians.
    The Taliban's spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said Saturday's attack, which he said had been planned for four months, had caused heavy casualties, killing 23 Americans and wounding 44. The movement often exaggerates the number of casualties caused by its operations.
    President Barack Obama had originally hoped to have all U.S. forces out of the country by the end of his term but was forced to abandon that aim as Afghan forces struggled to contain the Taliban insurgency.
    Under current plans, 8,400 U.S. troops will remain as part of the Resolute Support operation and a separate U.S. counterterrorism mission after Obama decided to slow down a planned reduction of the force, leaving it to his successor to decide future strategy.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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