2 US Troops Die In Attack On Base In Afghanistan

KABUL — Taliban militants fired rockets and mortars at a U.S. base in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, killing two American troops in a fierce battle as thousands of Marines in the south continued with their massive anti-Taliban push.

The multi-pronged attack in eastern Paktika province _ where an American soldier was captured this week _ included a truck bombing near the camp's gates. The battle ended only after U.S. forces called in airstrikes on militants.

The battle near the Pakistan border is hundreds of miles (kilometers) from the massive Marine assault in southern Helmand province. It underscores the militants' ability to inflict casualties on the over-stretched U.S. forces as they widen their battle against the Taliban, who have made a violent comeback following their initial defeat in the American-led 2001 invasion.

Responding to the deteriorating security situation, President Barack Obama's administration has ordered 21,000 additional troops to Afghanistan and expects the total number of U.S. forces there to reach 68,000 by year's end. That is double the number of troops in Afghanistan in 2008 but still half as many as are now in Iraq.

As part of the new strategy, 4,000 Marines poured into volatile Helmand province on Thursday in the biggest U.S. military operation in Afghanistan since 2001, trying to cut insurgent supply lines and win over local elders.

More than 30 insurgents were killed in the Saturday battle in Zerok district of Paktika province, said Hamidullah Zawak, the provincial governor spokesman. Seven American and two Afghan troops were wounded, a U.S. military spokesman said.

Attack helicopters, airstrikes and fire from U.S. troops killed at least 10 militants, according to a statement from the NATO-led force under which these American troops fight. Troops detained one militant, it said. The discrepancy in the militant death tolls could not immediately be reconciled.

During the battle, an insurgent drove a truck filled with explosives and gravel toward the gates of the U.S. base, Zawak said. When the driver did not heed warnings to stop, troops opened fire on the truck, which exploded, he said.

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The blast happened as rocket and mortar fire peppered the base, killing two U.S. troops and wounding seven other American soldiers, said Spc. April Campbell, a U.S. military spokeswoman.

The clash lasted for two hours before U.S.-called airstrikes that ended the fight, Zawak said.

Two Afghan soldiers were also wounded. The base housed both U.S. and Afghan soldiers.

Zabiullah Mujaheed, a Taliban spokesman, claimed responsibility for the attack. After the blast, some 100 Taliban fighters fired at the coalition troops for several hours, briefly taking over two of their checkpoints, Mujaheed said.

Campbell denied the Taliban ever took over any checkpoints.

Zawak said that 32 insurgents were killed in the airstrikes and that authorities have already recovered 16 bodies. Mujaheed said five insurgents were killed and three were wounded.

It is impossible to independently verify Zawak's and Mujaheed's claims because the base is in a remote area.

Saturday's attack happened in the same province where an American soldier and three Afghans were believed captured by insurgents Tuesday.

U.S. troops continued looking for the soldier, Navy Chief Petty Officer Brian Naranjo said Friday. The military has not publicly identified him.

No immediate claim of responsibility was made by any insurgent group for the missing soldier or Saturday's attack.

Taliban faction led by Sirajuddin Haqqani operate in the area where the attack took place. The U.S. has accused Haqqani of masterminding beheadings and suicide bombings, including the July 2008 attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul that killed 60 people.

In southern Afghanistan, meanwhile, a roadside bomb Saturday killed seven policemen in Kandahar province, the Interior Ministry statement said. Another two Afghan soldiers died in a separate blast in Helmand province's Musa Qala district also Saturday, the Defense Ministry said.

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Associated Press writer Noor Khan in Kandahar contributed to this report.

Comments

[Vixter]

Maybe I just don't understand military terminology, but when an news article states that "2 troops" died, does that mean 2 soldiers? I was under the impression that a troop was a lot more than 1 soldier, but less than a battalion.

Please help to inform my humble self.

[GardenerNorCal]

It's meant to confuse. Two soldiers died. Funny thing is we don't keep track of colateral damage, seems we have no way of measuring it.

[CarolinaDem]

Gardener's right, but it's also a misuse of the term. "A troop" is a group of soldiers, as you know. "Troops" is an indefinite term for a number of military personnel, always rightly used without any number. "We should send troops, or give in." When any number is used it ought to be replaced with "soldiers" or "marines" or "fighters". Two soldiers were killed.

Our reporters are so unlettered that they will occasionally report an interview with 'a troop'.

[Wordsmith]

How long 'till we can cut and run?

[SamEllison]

Have you read Gunga Din?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunga_Din

[Steamboater]

It was propaganda for colonialism. The Brits were made out to be heros saving India from itself. At the time the film came out there was a lot of anger in India because Gunga Din was seen as a traitor, giving his life for the occupiers and the bad guys, based on the infamous Thugees who were really a very small terrorist group in 19th century India were outsized in all proportion to the threat they really were. Kipling was an ardent colonialist too and romanticized something that was was oppressive and bloody. Although the story is fun and a great adventure the occupation of India is as our occupation of Afghanistan--a tragedy of adventurism.

[mulegino]

Why is it that so many Americans, most of the MSM and the great majority of elected officials, up to and including the POTUS, simply do not understand about the unbearable costs in lives and money of U.S. interventionism? Or has the necessity of feeding Leviathan. a.k.a. the American "Defense" profit machine, really necessitated the starving out of every other national priority, and project whether it be promoting this nation's own domestic tranquility, general welfare and establishment of justice?
If there was ever a place that practically cried out "DANGER: THIS IS A BOOBY TRAPPED GRAVEYARD OF IMPERIAL AMBITIONS!", it is Afghanistan.
Do the aforementioned really believe that the U.S. enjoys unlimited license to flout the lessons of history and "bestride the narrow world like a [jackbooted] colossus" forever, with no consequences to be borne, no reciprocity of aggression or desire for revenge?
How far have we come from that day-the unanimous declaration that spoke of inalienable rights of all, and self evident truths, of the rights of peoples to self determination, to this?

[mick7191]

I don't think President Obama intends on annexing Afghanistan like the Russians and the British tried to do. This is an exercise in nation building that should have been completed 4 years ago. The only way that the Afghan people have a chance is what he is trying to do right now.

[CarolinaDem]

I'm afraid it's more likely that they sold Obama the intellectual on the grand scheme of America's duty to secure the edges of the 'interconnected globalizing world' by establishing order with military presence. Not to own the country, not to 'occupy it', but to keep it from isolating itself. That's sort of for freedom, but Obama's too genuine to lie like Bush. It's also sort of for business interests, but Obama's too grounded to accept that as the main rationale. And it's sort of for the good of the locals, but it's never about what they want.

[lifesucks]

When will we learn? Has anyone heard about the soldier that was captured?

[Steamboater]

Nation building is just a euphemism for making Afghanistan like us, a democracy and that won't happen. Afghanistan already is a nation, one in chaos but it's not our business to try and change that with force. There are other nations in the area that could try and take care of the problems there and in their own backyard. We need to continous put pressure, and even threaten to cut off all monies to Pakistan if she doesn't get her act together and get rid of th terroists in their own country too because what we're seeing there is a virtual civil war, and we need to stop supporting a corrupt government like Karzai's who's family has looted the country dry and to actually support without pressure from us freedoms disallowed to women etc. In the end, only the Afghans can save themselves if they have the will to do it and our Independence Day today is a good reminder of that.

[dems08]

Report of US military deaths for the last 5 years while pubs were in office were few and far between.

Now almost daily in the msm.

[russdwater]

are you serious!? If that was a joke then i'll laugh

[pcplz]

reports...­..not actual numbers...­.reports.. You see, we weren't allowed to know or see the actual deaths....­it was not ....uh....­reported. Yeah.....y­a with me????