US, Afghan Troops Abandon Base Overrun by Militants
By VOA News
16 July 2008
U.S. and Afghan troops have pulled out of an outpost in eastern Afghanistan where militants killed nine American soldiers this week.
NATO said Wednesday that it has vacated the newly-built base in a village, Wanat, on the border of Nuristan and Kunar provinces, but that Afghan and international forces are patrolling the area.
Local officials say Taliban militants briefly took over the village Tuesday, but that Afghan forces pushed out the insurgents, killing at least seven of them.
A large force of militants stormed the outpost Sunday, in one of the deadliest attacks on American forces since a U.S.-led invasion pushed the Taliban from power in 2001.
In the southeastern province of Paktika Wednesday, local officials say Afghan soldiers killed 150 suspected militants late Tuesday with the help of air and ground support from coalition forces. Officials with the coalition have not verified the report.
A spokesman, Ghamai Khan, for the Paktika provincial governor said the violence erupted after about 350 suspected militants attacked Barmal district with rockets and light weapons.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
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