Taliban Attack U.S. Airfield

The Taliban attacked a U.S.-run airfield in the predawn hours Wednesday, wounding seven U.S. servicemen, in the second attack in two days against coalition forces. The skirmish was part of an offensive launched earlier this month that aims to undermine the U.S.-led coalition’s efforts to stabilize southern Afghanistan. Starting at 3 a.m., Taliban forces led an assault at Bagram Airfield, 30 miles north of Kabul, with rockets, small arms, and grenades. At least ten insurgents were killed. Tuesday was the deadliest day in a year in Afghanistan, after a suicide bomber in Kabul killed 18 people, including five Americans. Another two Americans were killed in a separate blast in the south, moving the total U.S. death toll in Afghanistan past 1,000. The Taliban announced earlier this month a new strategy called “Operation Al-Fatah” targeting NATO forces, diplomats, contractors and government officials.