At least eight US soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan in clashes with Taleban militants.

US commander Daniel Dwyer told the BBC the soldiers had been killed in clashes in the north-east of the country.

The BBC's Martin Patience in Kabul says it is one of the biggest single losses in a day for the NATO, Afghan troops launch operation ...
Pakistan troops 'die on border' ...
Suicide blast in crowded Afghan bazaar ... coalition since the start of military operations there.

The attack came as international and Afghan security forces battled militants on several fronts.

On Sunday, US forces said 40 insurgents had been killed in Helmand province in the past 24 hours.

There are conflicting reports as to where the latest attack took place.

A foreign military spokesman said US soldiers and members of the Afghan National Army came under attack in Kunar province, near the border with Pakistan.

But Afghan officials insist the fighting took place in neighbouring Nuristan Province.

Nato reported that a small American Combat Outpost in Dara-I-Pech district of Kunar Province, came under heavy fire at around 04.30 local time.

It said insurgents had fired "with small arms, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars using homes, shops and the mosque in the village of Wanat for cover."

Local officials say a number of civilians and militants were killed in the attack.

Our correspondent says there are frequent attacks in the area.

In a separate incident on Sunday, a suicide bomber killed at least 21 people, many of them children, in a market in the Deh Rawud district of Uruzgan province.

(BBC)

<< Back