(10)
KABUL–Taliban insurgents mounted their most serious attacks in six years of fighting in Afghanistan over the last two days, including a co-ordinated assault by at least 10 suicide bombers against one of the largest American military bases in the country, and another by some 100 insurgents that killed 10 elite French paratroopers.
The attack on the French, which took place in a district near Kabul, added to the sense of siege around the capital and was the deadliest single loss for foreign troops in a ground battle since the U.S.-led invasion chased the Taliban from power in 2001.
The audacious strikes suggested a more sophisticated insurgency now willing to launch frontal assaults on Canadian, U.S. and NATO troops.
Taken together, the attacks were part of a sharp escalation in fighting as insurgents have seized a window of opportunity to press their campaign this summer – taking advantage of a wavering NATO commitment, an outgoing American administration, a flailing Afghan government and a Pakistani government in deep disarray that has given the militants freer rein across the border.
As a result, this year is on pace to be the deadliest in the Afghan war so far, as the insurgent attacks show rising zeal and sophistication. The insurgents are employing not only a growing number of suicide and roadside bombs, but are also waging increasingly well organized and complex operations using multiple attackers with different types of weapons, NATO officials say.
NATO, Canadian and American military officials blame much of the increased insurgent activity on the greater freedom of movement the militants have in Pakistan's tribal areas on the Afghan border. The turmoil in the Pakistani government, with the resignation of president Pervez Musharraf on Monday, has added to the sense of a vacuum of authority there.
But at least as important, the officials say, is the fact that Pakistan's military has agreed to a series of peace deals with the militants under which it stopped large-scale operations in the tribal areas in February, allowing insurgents greater freedom to train, recruit and launch attacks into Afghanistan.
More foreign fighters are entering Afghanistan this summer than in previous years, NATO officials say.
The push by the insurgents has taken a rising toll. Before the attack on Monday, 173 foreign soldiers had been killed in Afghanistan this year, including 99 Americans and 16 Canadians.
Two Canadian aid workers were also killed last week and the Taliban warned of more attacks.
The assault yesterday with multiple suicide bombers, which struck Camp Salerno in the eastern province of Khost, wounded three American soldiers and six members of the Afghan Special Forces, Afghan officials said. It was one of the most complex attacks yet in Afghanistan, and included a backup fighting force that tried to breach defences to the airport at the base.
French troops were ambushed by an unusually large insurgent force while on a joint reconnaissance mission late Monday with the Afghan army in the district of Sarobi, 50 kilometres east of Kabul, according to a NATO statement.
The French troops, part of an elite paratrooper unit, had only recently taken over from U.S. forces in the area as part of the expanded French deployment in Afghanistan under President Nicolas Sarkozy.
In addition to the 10 French soldiers killed, 21 were wounded.
But Sarkozy, who has been a strong supporter of the United States, made it clear the French would be undeterred.
He left for Kabul last night, where he said he would reassure French troops serving in the NATO force that "France is at their side."
"My determination is intact," Sarkozy said in a statement. "France is committed to pursuing the struggle against terrorism, for democracy and for freedom. This is a just cause; it is an honour for France and for its army to defend it."
Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered condolences to the French.
"We believe it's essential for all NATO countries to stay the course so that we accomplish our objectives of creating a stable environment in Afghanistan that is not a threat either to its people or people elsewhere in the world," he said.
In a suicide bombing near Kandahar city yesterday morning, a Canadian soldier was injured and an Afghan interpreter killed.
With files from the Star's wire services
