U.S. CASUALTIES HIT 1,000 IN AFGHANISTAN WITH MASSIVE TALIBAN SUICIDE BOMBING

U.S. casualties in Afghanistan hit 1,000 with massive Taliban suicide bombing in Kabul

BY Stephanie Gaskell DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Originally Published:Wednesday, May 19th 2010, 12:25 AMUpdated: Wednesday, May 19th 2010, 8:57 AM

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/05/19/2010-05-19_1000_and_counting_us_casualties_in_afghan_hit_milestone_after_latest_bombing.html#ixzz0oRJ8DZwe

Seven U.S. troops were killed in Afghanistan on Tuesday - five in a massive Taliban suicide bombing in Kabul that filled the streets of the capital with blood.

The attack brought the U.S. toll to a grim new milestone - 1,000 American soldiers dead in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001, the independent Web site icasualties.org. reported.

A 42-year-old Canadian colonel also died in the morning rush-hour blast, along with at least a dozen Afghans.

"I saw one person lying on the ground with no head," said Mirza Mohammad, who was on his way to work when a van filled with 1,650 pounds of explosives rammed into a NATO convoy.

"Dead bodies were everywhere," said an Afghan cop. Many of yesterday's dead were women and children who were riding on a bus. Officials said more than 50 other people were wounded.

"A van driving very fast approached the convoy of foreigners and a huge blast went off," said government worker Noor Mohammad.

"I didn't know I was hurt. The explosion deafened my ears and I had a blackout."

The blast wrecked nearly 20 vehicles, including five SUVs in the NATO convoy, and scattered debris and body parts across the wide boulevard.

The body of a woman was smashed against the window of the bus.

According to the Pentagon, 1,060 U.S. soldiers have been killed in the overall campaign, dubbed Operation Enduring Freedom, which includes casualties in other countries like Pakistan and Uzbekistan.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who just returned from a trip to Washington, called yesterday's attack "heartbreaking."

The fighting continued into today as insurgents launched a predawn assault against the U.S.-run Bagram Air Field.

Seven militants had been killed during the "ongoing attack" on Bagram, which included rockets, small arms and grenades, a U.S. statement said. Five service members have been wounded.

The assault began when U.S. guards spotted attackers just outside the base and opened fire, sparking a gun battle, said an Afghan provincial police commander.