5 killed in Taliban attack near US base in Afghanistan (Lead)

Kabul April 24 (IANS) Five persons were killed and eight injured in a suicide car bombing claimed by Taliban militants near a US-operated military base in Afghanistans Khost city on Monday police said.

The bomber struck a security checkpoint outside Chapman Camp a foreign military base on outskirts of city at midday killing himself and four Afghan security guards manning the checkpoint provincial police chief General Faizullah Ghairat told Xinhua.

Among the injured were six local security guards and two women in nearby houses who sustained injuries.

No foreign soldier was hurt in the blast which also damaged buildings and shops around he said.

Taliban militants have claimed responsibility for the attack.

Earlier on April 1 three security personnel were killed and six school children wounded after a suicide car bomber targeted a military convoy in Khost 150 km southeast of Kabul.

Monday s attack occurred hours after US Defence Secretary James Mattis arrived in the country on an unannounced visit.

Mattis visited the headquarters of the NATO-led Resolute Support (RS) in Kabul where he met Commander General John Nicholson and discussed the security situation the RS forces tweeted.

He was also expected to hold meetings with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and other leaders.

--IANS
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