Suspected Taliban rebels ambushed a vehicle carrying Afghan troops in southern Afghanistan, killing nine soldiers, a provincial official said. The attack occurred late on Thursday in the Chakul area of Helmand province, where Taliban often target police and troops, said Haji Wali Mohammed, a spokesman for the governor. "We lost contact with the Afghan soldiers on Thursday, and their bodies were found today," he said, adding that authorities would hunt down and arrest the "terrorists" who carried out the attack.Taliban rebels immediately claimed responsibility. "Yes, the Taliban did this and we will launch more attacks against government and coalition forces," Mullah Latif Hakimi, who often speaks for the Taliban, said.