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Seven Afghan policemen killed in gunfight with US troops
Seven policemen were killed in a gun battle with US soldiers after troops attacked their post in eastern Afghanistan following a misunderstanding, government officials said on Tuesday. The US-led coalition said however its soldiers had come under fire first while trying to conduct a raid against a suspected Taliban safe house in Nangarhar province. Meanwhile, US-led troops and Afghan highway police backed by foreign war planes have killed more than two dozen enemy fighters in battles in southern Afghanistan, the US military said on Tuesday. The fighting erupted on Monday when the security forces were ambushed with rocket-propelled grenades and machine gun fire in Kandahar, the US-led coalition said. They returned fire and enemy forces retreated after several of their fighters were killed in the brief firefight, it said in a statement. About five hours later, more than 30 rebels attempted to ambush the same patrol. The security forces isolated the attackers and then requested close air support to destroy one enemy compound and one enemy vehicle. During the eight-hour battle, over two dozen enemy fighters were killed, it said. The fighting was in the Shah Wali Kot district. Separately, the NATO-led force that operates alongside the coalition said late on Monday that its troops had opened fire on a vehicle that did not halt at a checkpoint in eastern Kunar province, killing three Afghan men. Residents told AFP the casualties were school students aged 14 to 16. Three young men were also wounded, they said. NATOs International Security Assistance Force announced meanwhile that one of its soldiers was killed and two wounded in an explosion in southern Afghanistan on Monday. Canadas defence ministry said the casualties were Canadians. This takes to 81 the number of foreign soldiers killed in Afghanistan this year, most of them in hostile action. In other news, gunmen riding on a motorbike fired at girls outside a school on Tuesday, killing two and wounding six, authorities said. The attack took place in Logar province, south of the capital, Kabul, at the end of the school day. The attackers fled, they said. Those who carried out this cowardly attack are the enemies of the country, Education Minister Hanif Atmar told reporters. Posted by: Fred 2007-06-13 |
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