ISLAMABAD - U.S. officials say Vice President Dick Cheney is safe and unhurt, following a suicide bomb attack outside the main U.S. military base in Afghanistan. At least three people were killed in the explosion. The vice president went on to meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul to review his country’s deteriorating security situation.

The explosion went off Tuesday morning just outside the main gate of Bagram Air Base, about 60 kilometers north of the Afghan capital Kabul. U.S. officials say Vice President Dick Cheney was safely inside the heavily guarded military base at the time.

Estimates of the number of dead vary. An American and a South Korean soldier were among those confirmed killed. Several eyewitness reports suggest the final death toll may be far higher.

More than 25 others were wounded, and Senior Master Sergeant Richard Simonson says most were local Afghans.

“Medical personnel are treating the injured at medical facilities here at Bagram airfield at this time,” he said. “The incident has no impact on the Vice President and the incident is currently under investigation.”

The Taleban quickly announced responsibility for the attack and said the U.S. leader was the intended target.

The blast occurred at the first of at least three separate checkpoints protecting Bagram, which houses roughly 10,000 U.S. and coalition forces.

Cheney left the airfield about two hours after the explosion and went to scheduled talks with the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, in Kabul. The two men met privately for about 45 minutes before they were joined by advisors.

U.S. and Afghan officials are increasingly concerned about a major Taleban offensive expected in the next few weeks.

Taleban spokesmen say they are planning a massive wave of violence throughout Afghanistan as soon as the weather improves and snow begins to melt.

Cheney also made an unannounced visit to Pakistan Monday amid reports that both Taleban and al-Qaida insurgents have re-established a series of bases along the Afghan border.

Cheney reportedly warned Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf that U.S. funding to Islamabad could be in jeopardy unless his forces help improve regional security.

On Monday, Britain said it would send an additional 1,400 troops to Afghanistan to help repel any spring offensive.

There are already approximately 45,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan, including more than 27,000 U.S. forces and 5,000 from Great Britain.

Source:  VOA News