Asia-Pacific

2 NATO soldiers killed in Afghanistan

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-12-20 17:49

KABUL: Two soldiers of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) were killed in the militancy-ridden southern region of Afghanistan, a press release of the alliance said on Sunday.

One of these soldiers is from Britain and the other is from Poland, the press release said.

"An ISAF member from the United Kingdom was killed when his unit encountered an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) in southern Afghanistan yesterday," it added without naming the exact place of incident.

ISAF in the press release also confirmed that a service member from Poland was killed on Saturday when his unit was attacked by insurgents' small arms fire. However, it did not say the exact place of the attack.

Meantime, a senior police officer in Ghazni province Mohammad Asif Sediqi told Xinhua that a Polish soldier was killed as a mine struck a military vehicle in Andar district Saturday night.

On the other hand, Zabihullah Mujahid who claims to speak for Taliban outfit in talks with media via cellular phone from undisclosed location claimed responsibility and said that six Polish soldiers were killed in the roadside bomb, but Sediqi stressed only one soldier lost his life in the blast. ?

Some 9,000 British forces and over 1,000 Polish soldiers have been serving in Afghanistan within the framework of NATO-led ISAF forces to help ensure lasting peace in the country.