Taliban claims responsibility for blast killing 7 CIA agents

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a compound in eastern Afghanistan. The blast killed seven Americans and one Afghan.

A map of Afghanistan locating attacks in  Kandahar and Khost on Canadians and Americans. The Taliban said Thursday it was behind  bombings that killed seven CIA agents and separately five Canadians in one of the  deadliest bouts of violence against Westerners in Afghanistan.(AFP/Graphic)

The Taliban said one of its bombers entered the base in Khost province and blew himself up inside the gym on Wednesday. The CIA has not yet commented on bombing or confirmed the deaths. But the Associated Press says it has learned that the seven Americans were CIA employees and that the bomber had been invited onto the base as a potential informant.

NATO said only that the base is used by provincial reconstruction teams, which included both soldiers and civilians. The attack is the worst loss of life for the US in Afghanistan since October.