Taliban insurgents, including several suicide bombers, attacked a U.S.-Afghan military airfield in the eastern city of Jalalabad early Sunday morning, triggering an hours-long battle that left most of the attackers dead in a failed attempt to breach the base’s fortifications.
The attackers detonated two suicide vehicles at the gate of the base, followed by three more suicide bombers on foot who detonated explosive vests, according to an account of the attack provided by the Nangahar provincial governor's office late Sunday afternoon.
Four other suicide bombers attempted to detonate explosive vests but were shot and killed by security forces defending the base, the account said. The governor's office said the assault resulted in the deaths of nine attackers and three members of the Afghan security forces.
Eleven Afghan security force members were wounded. Two civilians were killed and three wounded, the governor's office said.