Wire: Bomber Strikes Near US Military Base in Afghan Capital

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13, 2009 -- Newswire services this morning reported that Afghan officials say a suicide bomber struck a convoy of vehicles Friday near a U.S.-run NATO military base in Kabul, wounding six people.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the bombing outside Camp Phoenix.

NATO said the wounded include civilian contractors, foreign soldiers and Afghan civilians.

VOA News noted that there have been a number of attacks targeting international operations in the Afghan capital in recent months, including an attack on a United Nations guesthouse and the Indian embassy.

This year has been the deadliest for international troops in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban-led government in 2001.

Also Friday, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he is urging military allies to contribute more forces to the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan. In an interview with the BBC, he expressed confidence that international partners could provide up to 5,000 additional troops.

Germany has pledged to send more than 100 extra soldiers to Afghanistan.

More than 4,000 German troops are in Afghanistan serving with NATO forces, with most based in the country's north.

(Report from newswire sources.)