Afghanistan suicide bombing kills 8 CIA officers
A bomber slipped into a U.S. base in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday and detonated a suicide vest, killing eight CIA officers in one of the deadliest days in the agency’s history, current and former U.S. officials said.
The attack took place at Forward Operating Base Chapman in Khowst province, an area near the border with Pakistan that is a hotbed of insurgent activity. An undisclosed number of civilians were wounded, the officials said. No military personnel with the U.S. or North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces were killed or injured, they said.
A U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the CIA had a major presence at the base, in part because of its strategic location. [continued…]
In year-end message, Taliban calls 2009 ‘successful’
In a written statement, the Taliban calls 2009 “a successful year for mujahedeen” and says it is determined to drive coalition forces out of Afghanistan in 2010.
“Last year the guerrilla warfare, frontline war, attacks and road mines against the invaders increased as the enemy began to cry out for reconciliation,” said the statement, obtained by CNN on Wednesday.
“The enemy does not have a constant policy,” the unsigned statement said. “Sometimes they talk about sending more soldiers and other times they speak of an early withdrawal. Their thinking is irrational.” [continued…]
