Nine killed and 12 injured in Nato base attack in Afghan

At least nine people were killed by a suicide car bomber on a military airport in eastern Afghanistan today.

Officials said this was the latest violent incident and protest since copies of the Koran were accidentally burned by US soldiers at a Nato base.

The Taliban were quick to claim responsibility for the attack as an act of revenge for the burning of Koran books but no official indications linked the explosion at the gates of Jalalabad airport to other protests and riots.

Some 12 people were wounded by the suicide bomb at the airport as growing anti-western fury deepened since the burning of the holy books.

All casualties appeared to be civilians and Afghan soldiers guarding the gate according to a statement released by the Afghan Interior Ministry.

The internal space of the military airport, used by Nato-led International Security Assistance Force troops, remained undamaged.

Despite apologies made by US leaders including President Barack Obama, riots continue to rage across Afghanistan and demonstrators commonly chant “Death to America” while raising the white Taliban flag.