Suicide attack at Cheney’s Afghan base kills 18

AFGHANISTAN: A suicide attack outside a US military base in Afghanistan where Vice President Dick Cheney was visiting Tuesday killed 18 people including three foreign soldiers, officials said.

Cheney’s spokeswoman said he was not injured in the incident, which came after bad weather forced him to stay overnight at the base during a surprise visit for talks on the fight against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

“The vice president is safe,” spokeswoman Lea Anne McBride said. “The vice president is fine.”

The Afghan interior ministry said 18 people were killed in the attack, which took place around 10am local time while Cheney was preparing to depart the base.

“Initial reports are stating that 18 people were killed and three of them are foreign soldiers,” interior ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary told AFP.

“The 15 others are civilian Afghan workers who wanted to enter Bagram air base for their work. On injuries we do not have exact reports.”

He did not specify if the dead soldiers at the base — the largest US military facility in the strife-torn country — were Americans.

The attack underlined the fragile security situation in Afghanistan, where Cheney arrived Monday after a similarly unannounced visit to Pakistan as the United States tries to strengthen the battle against Islamic militants.

The attack occurred inside one of the security gates surrounding the heavily guarded base some 60 kilometres (37 miles) north of the capital Kabul.

“It was a suicide bombing. It took place between the main gate and the gate guarded by American soldiers,” said Bagram district governor Kabir Ahmad.

US Lieutenant Colonel David Accetta said an announcement had been sounded across the base: “The base is under direct attack.” He said he could not give any confirmation of casualties but said the all-clear had been sounded.

Last year was the deadliest in Afghanistan since a US-led invasion in 2001 toppled the hardline Islamic Taliban from power, and there have been fears of a deadly spring offensive by the militants as the weather improves.

Cheney had been expected to meet Afghan leaders to offer support ahead of the offensive by Taliban militants and their Al-Qaeda allies.

It was not immediately known if Cheney would still meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

The vice president met Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Monday and urged Islamabad to make greater efforts to track down Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants regrouping in the northern tribal areas.

The White House later intensified pressure on Pakistan, which has long been accused by Afghanistan of failing to prevent militants crossing the border to launch attacks against Afghan, US and NATO forces.

Spokesman Tony Snow told reporters in Washington that “a lot more needs to be done” to combat terrorist elements in Pakistan. However he also said it was necessary to continue to support Musharraf.

Cheney’s trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan, not announced in advance for security reasons, came amid reports that US aid to Islamabad could be cut if Islamic militants were not hunted down.

His visit follows international concern about the insurgency in Afghanistan. The United States is Kabul’s main supporter and has around 27,000 troops in the country.

Bagram, Air Base, Tuesday, AFP.