Torkham clash ends with death of 3 attackers

JALALABAD (PAN base in the border town of Torkham in eastern Nangarhar province on Wednesday morning, officials said.

Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, the governor’s spokesman, told Pajhwok Afghan News that militant attack that happened at about 5am triggered a fierce gunbattle.

“We can confirm an indirect fire attack by enemy forces at Forward Operating Base Torkham today. The enemy’s efforts were ineffective and there were no ISAF fatalities as a result of this attack,” the NATO-led force said.

In response to an emailed query from this news agency, ISAF said three of the attackers were killed as a result of their actions.

Col. Akbar Shinwari, the public order police chief, said the clash had ended with the killing of three militants. One police official was killed and two others were  wounded, he added. He said 15 NATO supply trucks and a civilian car were damaged in the clash.

A border police official in the area said on condition of anonymity that suicide bombers targetted the terminal close to an International Security Assistance Force base.

He confirmed the intense fire exchange between security personnel and the assailants. The official, however, had no information about casualties.

A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said a number of suicide bombers entered the NATO terminal after one fighter blew up his explosives-laden car at the gate. A large number of soldiers were killed and wounded, he claimed.

rm/mud

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