David
08-21-2005, 04:49 PM
AP
A roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan killed four U.S. soldiers and wounded three others on Sunday, the U.S. military said.
The blast came as the troops were patrolling in Zabul province's Daychopan district, the military said in a statement. The three wounded soldiers were hit by shrapnel and were in stable condition, the military said.
"The unit was conducting offensive operations in support of an ongoing mission to find and defeat enemy forces in the area when the attack occurred," the statement said. "The unit's mission is part of a much larger operation to disrupt enemy forces and to thereby provide a safe environment for upcoming September elections."
The statement quoted Maj. Gen. Jason Kamiya, the U.S.-led coalition's operational commander, as saying the attack would "strengthen, not weaken, the resolve" of the force.
Later in the day, a roadside bomb went off near a convoy of U.S. Embassy vehicles in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Sunday, wounding two American officials, a U.S. embassy spokesman said.
"The vehicle was part of a convoy on routine embassy business," said spokesman Lou Fintor. "Two Americans experienced minor injuries in the explosion and have been treated and released."
Local police officials said the blast occurred on the western outskirts of the city.
Violence in Afghanistan has flared ahead of the nation's key Sept. 18 legislative elections, which Taliban-led rebels want to sabotage.
On Friday, the military said militants clashed with coalition forces near Asadabad in eastern Afghanistan, killing a U.S. Marine and an Afghan soldier.
The U.S. military also reported that a roadside bomb Thursday killed two U.S. soldiers and wounded two others who were protecting road workers on a U.S.-funded project in southern Kandahar province, a former Taliban stronghold.
U.S. officials have warned that fighting could escalate ahead of the parliamentary and provincial assembly elections, seen as the next step in building Afghanistan's democracy after a quarter-century of civil strife and war.
A surge of violence since winter has killed about 1,000 people in Afghanistan ? 60 American soldiers among them. Militants have stepped up assaults in the south and east trying to sabotage the U.S.-backed recovery, while U.S. and Afghan troops answer with their own offensives.
Four other Afghan soldiers were wounded in Thursday's clash in Kunar province. The forces were conducting operations ahead of next month's legislative elections, which Taliban militants have vowed to disrupt.
Two U.S. soldiers also were killed Thursday when a homemade bomb hit an American convoy supporting crews improving a road from the main southern city of Kandahar to outlying mountains. Two other soldiers were wounded, the military said in a statement.
A surge of violence since winter has killed about 1,000 people in Afghanistan ? 60 American soldiers among them. Militants have stepped up assaults in the south and east trying to sabotage the U.S.-backed recovery, while U.S. and Afghan troops answer with their own offensives.
On Sept. 18, Afghans will vote for a new national legislature and new provincial assemblies. Taliban-led rebels who have maintained a stubborn insurgency for nearly four years despite the presence of thousands of U.S.-led forces, have threatened to sabotage the elections, and have stepped up attacks in the past six months.
A roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan killed four U.S. soldiers and wounded three others on Sunday, the U.S. military said.
The blast came as the troops were patrolling in Zabul province's Daychopan district, the military said in a statement. The three wounded soldiers were hit by shrapnel and were in stable condition, the military said.
"The unit was conducting offensive operations in support of an ongoing mission to find and defeat enemy forces in the area when the attack occurred," the statement said. "The unit's mission is part of a much larger operation to disrupt enemy forces and to thereby provide a safe environment for upcoming September elections."
The statement quoted Maj. Gen. Jason Kamiya, the U.S.-led coalition's operational commander, as saying the attack would "strengthen, not weaken, the resolve" of the force.
Later in the day, a roadside bomb went off near a convoy of U.S. Embassy vehicles in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Sunday, wounding two American officials, a U.S. embassy spokesman said.
"The vehicle was part of a convoy on routine embassy business," said spokesman Lou Fintor. "Two Americans experienced minor injuries in the explosion and have been treated and released."
Local police officials said the blast occurred on the western outskirts of the city.
Violence in Afghanistan has flared ahead of the nation's key Sept. 18 legislative elections, which Taliban-led rebels want to sabotage.
On Friday, the military said militants clashed with coalition forces near Asadabad in eastern Afghanistan, killing a U.S. Marine and an Afghan soldier.
The U.S. military also reported that a roadside bomb Thursday killed two U.S. soldiers and wounded two others who were protecting road workers on a U.S.-funded project in southern Kandahar province, a former Taliban stronghold.
U.S. officials have warned that fighting could escalate ahead of the parliamentary and provincial assembly elections, seen as the next step in building Afghanistan's democracy after a quarter-century of civil strife and war.
A surge of violence since winter has killed about 1,000 people in Afghanistan ? 60 American soldiers among them. Militants have stepped up assaults in the south and east trying to sabotage the U.S.-backed recovery, while U.S. and Afghan troops answer with their own offensives.
Four other Afghan soldiers were wounded in Thursday's clash in Kunar province. The forces were conducting operations ahead of next month's legislative elections, which Taliban militants have vowed to disrupt.
Two U.S. soldiers also were killed Thursday when a homemade bomb hit an American convoy supporting crews improving a road from the main southern city of Kandahar to outlying mountains. Two other soldiers were wounded, the military said in a statement.
A surge of violence since winter has killed about 1,000 people in Afghanistan ? 60 American soldiers among them. Militants have stepped up assaults in the south and east trying to sabotage the U.S.-backed recovery, while U.S. and Afghan troops answer with their own offensives.
On Sept. 18, Afghans will vote for a new national legislature and new provincial assemblies. Taliban-led rebels who have maintained a stubborn insurgency for nearly four years despite the presence of thousands of U.S.-led forces, have threatened to sabotage the elections, and have stepped up attacks in the past six months.