Taliban inflict more than 50 Afghan casualties in base attack, U.S. says

Taliban inflict more than 50 Afghan casualties in base attack, U.S. says

Afghan national Army (ANA) troops keep watch near the site of an ongoing attack on an army headquarters in Mazar-i-Sharif, northern Afghanistan April 21, 2017. REUTERS/Anil Usyan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Taliban fighters have probably killed and wounded more than 50 Afghans in an ongoing attack on a mosque and dining facility inside an Afghan military base, a U.S. military spokesman said, describing it as a "significant" strike.

"We're talking probably more than 50 casualties," said Colonel John Thomas, a spokesman for the U.S. military's Central Command, adding he was unaware of any U.S.-led coalition forces who were directly impacted by the attack.

"There is a mosque and a dining facility on the base that seemed to, at this point from our reports, be the subject of significant attack from enemy forces."

Thomas said it was unclear how close U.S.-led coalition troops were to the fighting.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-04-22