WORLD
Camp Bastion assault: Two US marines die in 'Taliban revenge'
Baku, September 14 (AZERTAC). Insurgents have attacked Nato`s heavily fortified Camp Bastion base in southern Afghanistan.
At least two US marines died when militants breached the perimeter of the sprawling base in Helmand province.
The Taliban told the BBC that they carried out the attack in revenge for a film mocking Islam which has triggered protests around the Muslim world.
Aircraft and buildings were damaged but Nato says its forces killed 18 of the insurgents and captured one.
It is extremely heavily fortified and coalition forces are investigating how militants were able to stage the brazen surprise assault.
The UK`s Prince Harry began a second tour of duty at the base just over a week ago, but is said to be unharmed.
The attack came after at least seven people died in protests over the film mocking the Prophet Muhammad in Khartoum, Tunis and Cairo on Friday and amid fears of further unrest.
Nato officials say insurgents used small arms, rockets and mortars in the attack on Camp Bastion which took place at about 22:00 on Friday (17:30 GMT), under cover of darkness.
Major Adam Wojack, from Isaf joint command in Afghanistan, said the attackers found a "vulnerable part of the perimeter" and quietly breached it.
Once inside, the insurgents attacked the airfield side of the compound and caused "some damage to aircraft, damage to structures and killed those two marines", the officer said.
The attack was finally fought off by mainly American and British personnel who "ended up killing 18 of those attackers", he said.
Isaf said one of the attackers was also wounded and subsequently captured during the assault.
The camp is home to troops from several countries and the assault hit the adjoining US compound, Camp Leatherneck.
In addition to those killed, several other international troops were wounded in the raid.
The UK`s defence ministry said the incident had been "contained with a number of insurgents killed as a result".
It said that a "clearance operation is being conducted and we are in the process of accounting for our people".