KABUL, Dec 12 (NNN-XINHUA) – Several militants and one Afghan woman were killed and 62 civilians wounded, after assailants launched bomb attacks in Bagram district, eastern province of Parwan.
Two massive explosions occurred roughly at 05:50 a.m. local time, when the first group of attackers exploded two car bombs outside the south wall of a main U.S. and NATO military base, Bagram Airbase, where scores of houses, shops and a mosque were damaged.
“The second group of militants seized an abandoned health facility. They tried to target foreign forces and attack the military base with heavy weapons,” the report said.
“Preliminary findings showed seven attackers were involved in the incident. One attacker was captured and militants failed to detonate two explosive-laden vehicles at the scene,” the report said.
“The explosions occurred in Janqadam, a locality adjacent to Bagram airbase. The injured were shifted to hospitals in Bagram district, provincial capital, Charikar city, and national capital, Kabul,” district chief, Abdul Shakor Qudosi, said.
The wall of the base absorbed the force of explosions, but the blasts still caused massive destruction, the official said, adding, “most of the wounded were affected by flying glasses, debris and shrapnel.”
In the meantime, a coalition spokesman noted that the attack was quickly contained and repelled by Afghan security forces and their partners.
The medical facility was badly damaged, he said, adding, “there were no U.S. or Coalition casualties and Bagram remained secure throughout the attack.”
The blasts caused a plume of grey smoke to rise above the scene and were heard in Kabul, some 50 km away.
Located in the Bagram district, Parwan province, the Bagram military base has been serving as a main U.S. and NATO military base in Afghanistan, over the past 18 years.– NNN-XINHUA