Two Nato soldiers die in Afghan blast

The soldiers were on patrol in eastern Nuristan province, which borders Pakistan, when an improvised explosive device struck their vehicle, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said on Tuesday.

 

Most of the troops in eastern Afghanistan are from the US.

  

The 31,000-strong Nato force had already lost two other soldiers in combat since the weekend, one in southern Zabul province on Monday and the other in neighbouring Uruzgan on Saturday.

 

Meanwhile, more than 110 Taliban fighters have been killed during clashes with Nato troops in southern Afghanistan, Aljazeera’s correspondent in Kabul quoted Nato troops spokesperson as saying.

 

Vehicles destroyed

 

Muhamad Hanif, the Taliban movement spokesperson, contested Nato’s announcement, saying Taliban fighters had destroyed five vehicles and killed 14 Nato soldiers, the correspondent quoted Hanif as saying.

 

In southern Afghanistan, a man detonated explosives strapped to his body near a police patrol killing a policeman.

 

The police officers were on patrol in southern Ghazni province’s Taliban-dominated Ander district when the attacker blew himself up a few steps away, interior ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary said.

 

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

 

More than 115 foreign soldiers have been killed in action in Afghanistan so far this year, up from about 75 last year.

 

Suicide attack

 

Meanwhile, a man detonated explosives strapped to his body near a police patrol in southern Afghanistan, killing a policeman.

 

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.  

 

The police officers were on patrol in southern Ghazni province’s when the attacker blew himself up a few steps away, Zemarai Bashary, the interior ministry spokesperson said.

 

“One of our policemen was martyred and another was wounded. It was a suicide bombing carried out by an individual on foot,” he said.