Two Deadly Attacks Rock Afghanistan
Afghan National Army soldiers rush towards the site of a gunbattle near the Jalalabad military air base in Jalalabad, east of Kabul, Afghanistan, 13 Nov 2010
Two deadly attacks in Afghanistan rocked different regions of the country Saturday.
In the north, officials say a motorcycle bomb has killed eight people and wounded several others in a market in Kunduz province.
There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the market attack.
Earlier Saturday, NATO says Taliban insurgents attacked an observation post located on the Jalalabad city airport in eastern Afghanistan.
NATO says its troops repelled the insurgent attack, killing six militants. Earlier reports had a higher number of deaths.
After the failed attack, the alliance recovered two suicide vests, as well as multiple weapons and grenades near the dead insurgents.
The Taliban says 14 suicide bombers were involved in the assault.
Witnesses say three of the dead fighters were dressed in Afghan army uniforms.
The assaults came a day after a suicide car bomber attacked a NATO convoy on the outskirts of the capital, Kabul, signaling a possible spike in violence in the lead-up to two important international events regarding the conflict in Afghanistan.
NATO leaders gather in Lisbon next week, with Afghanistan set to be top of the agenda as European members reassess their commitments amid flagging support back home for the war.
U.S. President Barack Obama will also review his Afghanistan war strategy next month. He has expressed his commitment to starting a gradual troop withdrawal of U.S. troops in July, 2011.
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