U.S. and Afghan officials say a suicide bomber has killed four Afghan soldiers and one civilian in an attack near a American military base in eastern Afghanistan.
Officials say a man dressed in a security uniform walked up to the main gate of the military base in Paktika province Saturday and detonated his explosives. At least five Afghan civilians were wounded in the attack.
In southern Helmand province, police say Taliban militants killed three policemen who had been trying to prevent them from carrying out a kidnapping. Police say the militants managed to escape with their hostage.
In a separate incident today, the U.S.-led coalition says Afghan and coalition forces killed several Taliban militants during fighting in Helmand province. The coalition did not give a specific toll.
NATO and U.S. forces are battling a resurgent Taliban presence in Afghanistan. The group increasingly has used suicide attacks and roadside bomb blasts since U.S.-led forces ousted the Taliban from power in the late 2001.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
