Large Afghanistan Truck Bomb Injures 77 Americans
Several Afghans killed, scores of U.S. troops injured in blast outside base.
By Ben Johnson | Posted Sunday, Sep. 11, 2011, at 12:43 PM EDT
Slate
A truck bombing in Afghanistan’s Wardak province on the even of the tenth anniversary of 9/11 has killed Afghan civilians and wounded scores of NATO personnel.
The truck, reportedly loaded with firewood, exploded Saturday night outside of Combat Outpost Sayed Abad, in the Eastern-central region of the country, according to CNN.
“This attack was a high-profile attack. It was a pretty significant suicide vehicle bomb,” commander of coalition forces Gen. John R. Allen told CNN Sunday.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, and NATO confirmed a Taliban suicide bomber carried out the explosion.
No U.S. troops were killed in the explosion, but according to the Associated Press, local Afghan officials said four civilians were killed, including a 3-year-old girl. The provincial governor said the giant blast damaged nearly 100 shops in the local bazaar near the base.
In a statement, the Taliban accused the U.S. used the September 11 attacks in 2001 as an excuse to invade the country.
“The Afghans have an endless stamina for a long war,” said the statement, according to the AP. “Through a countrywide uprising, the Afghans will send the Americans to the dustbin of history like they sent other empires of the past.”
Speaking at a 9/11 memorial in Kabul, U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker said, “Some back home have asked why we are still here. It’s been a long fight and people are tired. The reason is simple. Al-Qaida is not here in Afghanistan, and that is because we are.”
By Ben Johnson | Posted Sunday, Sep. 11, 2011, at 12:43 PM EDT
Slate
A truck bombing in Afghanistan’s Wardak province on the even of the tenth anniversary of 9/11 has killed Afghan civilians and wounded scores of NATO personnel.
The truck, reportedly loaded with firewood, exploded Saturday night outside of Combat Outpost Sayed Abad, in the Eastern-central region of the country, according to CNN.
“This attack was a high-profile attack. It was a pretty significant suicide vehicle bomb,” commander of coalition forces Gen. John R. Allen told CNN Sunday.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, and NATO confirmed a Taliban suicide bomber carried out the explosion.
No U.S. troops were killed in the explosion, but according to the Associated Press, local Afghan officials said four civilians were killed, including a 3-year-old girl. The provincial governor said the giant blast damaged nearly 100 shops in the local bazaar near the base.
In a statement, the Taliban accused the U.S. used the September 11 attacks in 2001 as an excuse to invade the country.
“The Afghans have an endless stamina for a long war,” said the statement, according to the AP. “Through a countrywide uprising, the Afghans will send the Americans to the dustbin of history like they sent other empires of the past.”
Speaking at a 9/11 memorial in Kabul, U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker said, “Some back home have asked why we are still here. It’s been a long fight and people are tired. The reason is simple. Al-Qaida is not here in Afghanistan, and that is because we are.”
posted by Hanan Elbadry at 3:46 PM
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