Bagram
A Chinook helicopter flies over the Bagram Air Base north of Kabul on Feb. 13, 2014. Reuters/Mohammad Ismail

A suicide bomber on a motorbike attacked a joint U.S.-Afghan patrol near Bagram air base in Afghanistan on Monday, killing five soldiers and wounding six, Bagram District Governor Abdul Shukur Qudusi said.

In a tweet, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility and said 19 soldiers had been killed and a number wounded.

NATO headquarters in Kabul confirmed there had been a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attack near Bagram Air Base and said it was under investigation.