The Taliban claimed responsibility on their Internet site for Saturday's attack, news of which came as the world marked the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that killed almost 3,000 people in the United States.

US Army spokesman Major David Eastburn said: "It happened at 5:15 pm on Saturday.

"It detonated near the entrypoint at a combat outpost, resulting in 89 wounded in action and a 20-foot hole in the wall."

NATO's International Security Assistance Force said in a statement: "A Taliban suicide bomber detonated a large vehicle-borne improvised explosive device at the entrance of Combat Outpost Sayed Abad, Wardak province, yesterday."

Eastburn said 50 American soldiers were among the injured.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011