Nine dead in Kabul attack (Lead)

Kabul Jan 29 (IANS) In a suicide attack on an Afghan army base here at least five Afghan soldiers and four insurgents were killed and another 10 were injured on Monday.

The attack on the army battalion stationed near the Marshal Fahim Military Academy in western Kabul began around 5 a.m. Afghan Defence Ministry spokesperson Dawlat Waziri told Efe news.

The area is "fully under control of our forces and the situation is getting back to normal " Waziri said.

He added the clash between the insurgents and the soldiers continued for around five hours.

Two insurgents detonated their suicide vests while another two died in the gunfire exchange with the security forces and a fifth was captured alive he said.

In the clashes five soldiers were also killed. The 10 injured were transferred to a military hospital.

Monday s suicide attack comes just after Saturday s ambulance bomb attack in Kabul that left 103 dead and more than 200 injured.

The ambulance attack came a week after a previous assault on civilians at the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul where more than 20 people were killed including 14 foreigners.

Afghanistan is witnessing one of its bloodiest periods following the end of NATO s military mission although it continues its presence in the country for training Afghan forces.

In September last year both the US and NATO had decided to significantly increase their military presence in the country.

--IANS
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