The Korea Herald

지나쌤

Two rockets strike Korea’s Afghan base

By Song Sangho

Published : June 21, 2011 - 19:02

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Two rockets fell inside an Afghanistan base where South Korean aid workers and troops were stationed on Monday night, but there were no injuries, Foreign Ministry officials said Tuesday.

The attack is the 10th this year, apparently targeting the base in Charikar City in the northern Afghan province of Parwan. In a previous attack on May 30, one rocket fell just outside the base.

The rockets fell near a training ground inside the base at around 9:56 p.m., officials said.

“There were no injuries and no damage to our facilities there,” said a ministry official, declining to be named.

“It appears that the rockets were fired from a nearby town. We will investigate the case in tandem with Afghan police there to verify how the attack occurred.”

The attack came as public worries have deepened over the possibility of international terrorism against personnel of the key U.S. ally in Asia since U.S. Navy commandos shot dead al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden on May 1.

Some security experts here have pointed out that international terrorist groups could target South Korea given its six-decade alliance with the U.S., which has spearheaded the war on terrorism since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

More than 300 South Korean troops have been deployed to Charikar City to protect Korean civilians working there as part of the Provincial Reconstruction Team to help rebuild the war-torn country.

About 90 South Korean aid workers and police officers are operating in the PRT there.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)