Two civilians were killed Monday, March 5 in a suicide attack at a gate to the U.S. military base at Bagram north of the Afghan capital Kabul, an official said, according to AFP.

Taliban insurgents claimed the bombing, saying it was in revenge for the burning of Korans at the base two weeks ago.

The Koran burning in an incinerator pit two weeks ago ignited days of violent anti-U.S. protests in which some 40 people died, plunging relations between foreign forces and their Afghan allies to an all-time low.

Last Monday a suicide car bombing claimed by the Taliban - also in revenge for the Koran incident - targeted NATO troops at an airport in eastern Afghanistan, killing nine people but no foreign soldiers.

The U.S.-led NATO force has 130,000 troops fighting the Taliban, who were toppled from power in a U.S.-led invasion in 2001.