car bomb blew up at the gates of a U.S. military base on the outskirts
of the capital Tuesday, and Afghan officials said at least half a dozen
people were hurt. The Taliban claimed responsibility.
The attack, the second major strike in the capital
in just over a week, appeared intended as a reminder of the
insurgency’s growing strength in advance of a major conference in
President
with the aim of bolstering support for the war effort and his
beleaguered government. He also is expected to voice support for trying
to bring the Taliban into the political process and persuading foot
soldiers to lay down their arms in exchange for jobs and other
incentives.
Tuesday’s attack took place just outside an installation known as
used mainly by American troops who are helping to train Afghan security
forces. Building up the Afghan army and police is considered a
cornerstone of the West’s eventual exit strategy, though military
officials acknowledge it will be a difficult undertaking.
toward the eastern city of Jalalabad, is a frequent target of insurgent
attacks, in part because it is close to a main roadway, and suicide
bombers often try to strike convoys that are arriving or leaving. Such
an attack in mid-November injured about two dozen people, nine of them
Western troops.
U.S. and other Western military officials did not
immediately disclose whether any service members were hurt in Tuesday’s
attack. Afghan government officials reported that at least six people,
all or most of them believed to be civilians, were hurt in the blast,
which came during evening rush hour.
The latest bombing came eight days after insurgents
paralyzed the capital with an hours-long assault on government
buildings and other targets in the city center. Seven attackers were
killed, and although the toll was relatively low — five other deaths —
the insurgents’ demonstrated ability to infiltrate heavily guarded
parts of
Earlier Tuesday, Afghan intelligence officials provided the most detailed information yet about the
At a news conference, they showed a video of an Afghan man arrested last week for allegedly helping to carry out the attack.
In it, the man, identified as Kamaluddin, said he
received his orders from the Haqqani network, a virulent militant
organization whose leadership is based in
North Waziristan tribal area. Speaking in calm, measured tones, he said
he housed the seven attackers prior to the strike, providing them with
suicide vests and other weapons.
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