By Alastair Leithead
BBC News, Kabul
Kabul's early morning silence was broken last night first by the crunch of rockets exploding in the city, then by the emergency sirens at Nato headquarters warning the officers and generals to head for the shelters.
It was a vivid and eerie soundtrack of how close the insurgency is to the capital.
The second rocket attack in Kabul in less than a week will further feed the paranoia of Afghans and also the international community.
But that paranoia may not be misplaced - while the sirens 'Ten French dead' in Afghan clash ...
Polish, Czech presidents support Ukraine, Georgia' NATO ambitions ...
Taliban driven from south Afghan district ...
NATO chief, Ukraine leader dismiss Russian membership veto ... were warning of incoming fire, French forces were fighting for their lives just 50km (31 miles) away.
They had been ambushed on Monday afternoon as they patrolled through Sarobi district in Kabul province, and despite sending in reinforcements, medical teams and attack aircraft they lost 10 soldiers - another 21 were injured.
Significant impact
It is one of the largest losses of life in Nato's Afghan campaign and a huge blow to a French deployment which is already unpopular at home.
There are reports of 100 insurgents attacking the convoy, of troops being captured and then killed.
What happened in that valley could have a significant impact on the French mission, so much so that President Nicolas Sarkozy is flying straight to Kabul to settle nerves and offer support.
And it wasn't the only major operation launched by the Taleban in one night.
In Khost, south eastern Afghanistan, up to 30 militants tried to storm the main American base in the town, just hours after a suicide car bomber had struck at the front gate killing 10 civilians working at Camp Salerno.
Among those insurgents were at least half a dozen suicide bombers, trying to break into the camp and kill as many Nato soldiers as possible.
The attack was repelled and, as in Serobi, many of the Taleban were killed or injured, but there appear to be plenty of others ready to pick up their guns, or strap on explosives vests, and take on a much better equipped and more highly trained army.
The tactics are becoming more advanced and more brazen - it is as if the insurgents are gathering momentum of the growing insecurity and instability.
On Monday, which was Afghanistan's Independence Day, much of Kabul was sealed off by thousands of extra police drafted in when the Taleban announced they were planning a major attack.
(BBC)
<< Back