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Taliban Claims Responsibility for Assault on Kandahar Air Base


The Taliban claimed responsibility Sunday for a nighttime assault on NATO's base in Kandahar, as Afghan officials confirmed that a traditional gathering of elders and community leaders will be postponed for a second time.

NATO officials said militants fired rockets and mortar shells at the Kandahar Air Field late Saturday, and tried unsuccessfully to storm the northern perimeter of the base.

Several coalition troops and civilian employees were wounded, but there were no reports of deaths.

Also Sunday, Afghan officials said the three-day "jirga" to discuss prospects for peace has been postponed again. The gathering was to start on May 29, but now will be held from June 2-4.

In other violence Sunday, the police chief of Andar district in eastern Ghazni province was killed in a gunbattle with militants.

The attack at Kandahar was the second Taliban assault on a large military installation in Afghanistan in less than a week.

On Wednesday, militants attacked the main U.S. military base at Bagram, killing an American contractor.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

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