Major Afghan base attacked

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KABUL: US and Afghan troops yesterday repelled an attack on one of the biggest Nato bases in eastern Afghanistan by militants who used a suicide car bomb, rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons in a failed attempt to breach the defences.

It was the third ground assault against a major coalition base in Afghanistan in the past five weeks - a sign that the insurgents have not been cowed by US efforts to ramp up the war.

Eight militants were killed in the attack, which occurred at the airport base on the outskirts of Jalalabad about 120km east of Kabul on the main road between the Afghan capital and the Pakistan border.

The attack came before the US Senate unanimously voted to confirm David Petraeus as commander of the troubled Afghan war, pinning American hopes on the four-star general who helped turn around the conflict in Iraq.

Petraeus, seen by some analysts as President Barack Obama's last, best hope to salvage the Afghan mission, won full support from both Obama's Democrats and opposition Republicans after the previous commander was sacked one week ago.

He was confirmed in a 99-0 vote on the Senate floor.

The attack on the base began with a suicide car bomber detonating his explosives near the gate to the base, followed by a half-hour gunbattle, Afghan officials said. An Afghan soldier and one international service member were wounded, Nato said.

Chief Nato spokesman Brigadier Genera; Josef Blotz said the attackers were unable to penetrate the defences.

«While designed to garner media attention, this attack only temporarily disrupted operations as our forces successfully repelled the attack," said Navy Captain Jane Campbell, a US spokeswoman.

In a text message to The Associated Press in Kabul, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said six suicide attackers killed 32 foreign and Afghan security forces.

Meanwhile, UK's defence secretary warned Nato allies against prematurely withdrawing forces from Afghanistan and said they should prepare their publics for a spike in coalition casualties.

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