15 die in attack on Afghan army base

UP TO 15 people were reported dead yesterday after guerillas attacked an Afghan army base south of Kabul.

Eleven attackers were among the dead from the most serious battle near the capital city in months.

The base commander said the assailants were Arabs and Pakistanis, but that could not be confirmed.

The assault came just a day after US special forces killed four men in Kunar province, 90 miles to the north-east.

The two incidents, and another involving US troops on Monday, represented an upsurge in violence during a relatively quiet period eight months after the fall of Afghanistan's Taliban government.

Guerrillas armed with AK-47

semi-automatic rifles attacked the Kabul army garrison in the Bagram-i District, about six miles south of the centre of the capital.

Troops fought back mostly with rocket-propelled grenades.

Base commander Bismullah Khan said that in a three-hour battle, his men pursued the attackers as they retreated, surrounded them and killed 11.

Cdr Khan said three of his men were also killed.

A wounded civilian died en route to hospital, said Major Angela Herbert, of the International Security Assistance Force, the multinational force that patrols Kabul.

None of the US forces in Afghanistan was known to have been involved in the Kabul battle, but unidentified Americans in civilian dress were later seen inspecting the site.

On Tuesday, US troops on patrol in Kunar province killed four men in a car who opened fire at them, Colonel Roger King said.

Col King said the men were believed to be al-Qaida members, and cash from a country in the region which he

did not identify was found in the car.

Provincial intelligence chief Jan Shah said the Americans opened fire when the car did not stop to be searched near the provincial capital, Asadabad.

Mr Shah said that the issue of the men being armed was under investigation.