77 American soldiers wounded in a massive bomb blast against a combat outpost in eastern Afghanistan

A massive bomb blast against a combat outpost in eastern Afghanistan has wounded at least 77 American soldiers as all the international troops at the base are American, NATO said.

A bomber driving a truck attacked Combat Outpost Sayed Abad in Afghanistan's eastern province of Wardak late on Saturday, AFP reported.

Earlier on Sunday, US Army spokesman Major David Eastburn said that 50 American soldiers were among a total of 89 people injured in the attack.

"It happened at 5:15 pm on Saturday. It detonated near the entry point at a combat outpost, resulting in 89 wounded in action and a 20-foot [six-meter] hole in the wall," Eastburn said.

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack, saying scores of US occupation soldiers were killed in the attack.

August 2011 became the deadliest month for US troops in the decade-long war in Afghanistan with 66 American soldiers killed in the month.

On August 6, at least 31 US Special Forces were killed after Taliban militants shot down an American helicopter belonging to NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Wardak Province.