Insurgents attack U.S. base in Kandahar

Insurgents with rifles and rocket-propelled grenades launched a sustained attack yesterday against a U.S. base in Kandahar. No coalition casualties were reported, but the hours-long confrontation demonstrated the Taliban's continuing ability to strike in the heart of this city.

The attack, which began in mid-afternoon and stretched into the evening, targeted a joint civilian-military installation housing what is known as a provincial reconstruction team, or PRT, mainly devoted to development projects. The base was run by troops from Canada until this past summer, when that nation ended its combat mission in Afghanistan.

One of NATO's biggest bases, Kandahar Airfield, is a short distance from the city, and sometimes serves as a deterrent to insurgent attacks in the area. PRT bases, however, are typically positioned so as to give immediate access to the surrounding community, to aid in the task of trying to win public support.