Explosion reported at Taliban base in Afghan capital

The Associated Press

KABUL, Afghanistan (July 11, 2001 9:45 AM PDT) - An explosion Wednesday rocked a military base of the ruling Taliban militia in the Afghan capital. Witnesses reported several people were killed and injured.

Ambulances and government vehicles rushed to the heavily guarded base in the war-devastated western part of Kabul after the explosion to take victims to the hospital, the witnesses said.

Taliban soldiers surrounded the base, and the Islamic militia made no immediate comment on the blast. There was no official confirmation on casualties.

In recent months, there have been several bombings in Kabul that the Taliban blamed on the northern-based opposition alliance. The opposition denies the charge.

The Taliban army rules almost 95 percent of Afghanistan and is battling opposition forces for the rest.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001