19 killed in Afghan base blast during Cheney visit

US Vice President Dick Cheney was not in danger when an explosion killed 19 people at the main US military base in Afghanistan, US and Afghan officials said.

The blast happened near the first security gate outside the base at Bagram, killing 19 people, said Khoja Mohammad Qasim Sayedi, chief of the province’s public health department.

Major William Mitchell said it did not appear the explosion was intended as a threat to the vice-president.

Mr Cheney, who spent the night at Bagram, ate breakfast with US soldiers this morning, Major Mitchell said.

He was expected to meet President Hamid Karzai after their meeting was scrapped yesterday because of bad weather that prevented him travelling to Kabul.

“At this point it does not appear that the explosion was intended as a threat to the vice-president,” Major Mitchell said. “He wasn’t near the site of the explosion. He was safely within the base at the time of the explosion.”