Lone rocket rocks Kandahar NATO base

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, June 24 (UPI) -- A rocket struck a NATO air base in Afghanistan Tuesday night amid a continuing increase in clashes with Islamic militant guerrillas.

CNN said the attack caused a fire on the base in Kandahar but there were no reports of casualties.

The network said explosions and gunfire were heard a short time later from the area where the rocket was launched.

The rocket attack came a day after scattered fighting left two NATO troops dead along with four Afghan police officers and about 25 militants, Afghan officials told CNN.

Three of the Afghan officers died in a raid on a police post between Kandahar and Uruzgan provinces that left seven other officers wounded. The other officer killed was a policewoman who was targeted in a drive-by shooting in Herat province and is believed to be the first female officer killed in the conflict with the Taliban.

NATO struck a Taliban unit in Paktia province that left 15 enemy fighters dead, including some who were identified as foreigners, CNN reported.