KABUL (July 4, 2009)--A truck bombing outside a U.S. base in eastern Afghanistan triggered a two-hour firefight that was ended with airstrikes.

Two American soldiers died and seven more were wounded.

An Afghan official says more than 30 insurgents died.

The official says the attack began when militants drove a truck full of explosives and gravel toward the gates of the American base.

When the truck driver did not heed warnings to stop, troops opened fire and the truck exploded.

For the next two hours, American troops and insurgents traded fire.

The battle only ended when airstrikes quieted the insurgents.

The skirmish happened in the same province where an American soldier and three Afghans were believed captured by insurgents Tuesday.

There’s still no word on their fate.