KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Five NATO service members, all Americans, were killed in an attack in southern
Afghanistan, the international coalition said on Tuesday. A defense official confirms the soldiers were
Americans.
A statement from the international alliance said all five soldiers died on Monday but did not give
further details on the attack.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. The insurgents have intensified attacks on Afghan and
foreign forces ahead of the country’s presidential election runoff on Saturday. Officials are concerned
there could be more violence around the balloting, though the first round in April passed relatively
peacefully.
A Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousef Ahmadi, said a battle took place on Monday night between foreign troops
and Taliban fighters in Arghandab district in southern Zabul province. Ahmadi claimed a “huge number” of
NATO soldiers were killed or wounded in the fighting but the Taliban often exaggerate their claims.
The Afghan police chief in southern Zabul province said there was a joint operation by Afghan and NATO
troops in the province earlier Monday. After that operation was over, the troops came under an attack by
the Taliban in Arghandab district and called in air support, said Gen. Ghulam Sakhi Rooghlawanay.
Along with the five NATO troops, an Afghan soldier also died in the fighting, said Rooghlawanay.
Separately, a NATO statement said a service member had died on Monday as a result of a non-battle injury
in eastern Afghanistan.
The deaths bring to 36 the number of NATO soldiers killed so far this year in Afghanistan, with eight
service members killed in June.
Casualties have been falling in the U.S.-led military coalition as its forces pull back to allow the
Afghan army and police to fight the Taliban insurgency. All combat troops are scheduled to be withdrawn
from the country by the end of this year.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Five NATO service members, all Americans, were killed in an attack in southern
Afghanistan, the international coalition said on Tuesday. A defense official confirms the soldiers were
Americans.
A statement from the international alliance said all five soldiers died on Monday but did not give
further details on the attack.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. The insurgents have intensified attacks on Afghan and
foreign forces ahead of the country’s presidential election runoff on Saturday. Officials are concerned
there could be more violence around the balloting, though the first round in April passed relatively
peacefully.
A Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousef Ahmadi, said a battle took place on Monday night between foreign troops
and Taliban fighters in Arghandab district in southern Zabul province. Ahmadi claimed a “huge number” of
NATO soldiers were killed or wounded in the fighting but the Taliban often exaggerate their claims.
The Afghan police chief in southern Zabul province said there was a joint operation by Afghan and NATO
troops in the province earlier Monday. After that operation was over, the troops came under an attack by
the Taliban in Arghandab district and called in air support, said Gen. Ghulam Sakhi Rooghlawanay.
Along with the five NATO troops, an Afghan soldier also died in the fighting, said Rooghlawanay.
Separately, a NATO statement said a service member had died on Monday as a result of a non-battle injury
in eastern Afghanistan.
The deaths bring to 36 the number of NATO soldiers killed so far this year in Afghanistan, with eight
service members killed in June.
Casualties have been falling in the U.S.-led military coalition as its forces pull back to allow the
Afghan army and police to fight the Taliban insurgency. All combat troops are scheduled to be withdrawn
from the country by the end of this year.