NATO repels insurgent attack in east Afghanistan

NATO says the attack was carried out late on Tuesday in the eastern city of Jalalabad by insurgents firing assault rifles and rocket propelled grenades

Gen. David Petraeus NATO and U.S. forces commander in Afghanistan gives a medal to the out going commander Italian Brigadier General Marcello Vito Giacomo Bellacicco, right, during a changing of command ceremony at a ISAF base in Herat west of Kabul, Afghanistan. File photo: AP.

NATO says it has repelled an insurgent attack against one of its bases in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least seven militants.

NATO says the attack was carried out late on Tuesday in the eastern city of Jalalabad by insurgents firing assault rifles and rocket propelled grenades.

A statement from the coalition on Wednesday says that NATO forces returned fire and called in an attack helicopter. It says there were no coalition casualties. There were no further details on the killed insurgents.

There has been an increase in battles between U.S.—led forces and insurgents in the past couple of weeks as Afghanistan’s spring fighting season gets under way.