Militants attack U.S. base in Afghanistan

U.S. forces Saturday repelled a small band of militants who attacked their base in eastern Afghanistan, officials said. Afghan officials said all four insurgents were killed, along with two Afghan fuel suppliers, in the dawn assault on the U.S. base in Panjshir, the Los Angeles Times reported. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. There were conflicting reports of additional injuries to coalition forces, the newspaper said, with Gen. Mohmmed Jangalbagh, the provincial police chief, saying one U.S. soldier and two Afghan security guards were wounded, while U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Christopher DeWitt, a spokesman for NATO's International Security Assistance Force, said there were no American casualties. The attack began when the militants detonated an explosives-laden vehicle at the gates to the base, used by U.S. personnel and civilians working primarily on development projects. DeWitt said the assailants failed to get inside the facility or inflict serious damage, though Jangalbagh said a guard tower was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, the Times said.