4 US soldiers die in Afghan blast

KABUL – Four US soldiers were killed and three wounded in a bomb attack in Afghanistan yesterday as they were trying to clear militants from an area before an election next month, the US military said.

The three wounded men were hurt in secondary explosions as they tried to pull their fellow soldiers to safety after the first blast in Zabul province, in the south of the country. “Attacks such as this strengthen, not weaken, the resolve of the US/Coalition, Afghan National Security Forces, and the Afghan people,” said a US commander, Major-General Jason Kamiya.US forces have now suffered 47 deaths in combat in Afghanistan this year making it the worst period since they arrived to oust the Taliban in October 2001.The unit attacked yesterday in Dai Chopan district was involved in operations in support of the Sept.18 parliamentary and provincial elections, which the Taliban and other militants have condemned and vowed to disrupt.”The unit’s mission is part of a much larger operation to disrupt enemy forces and to thereby provide a safe environment for upcoming September elections,” the US military said.- Nampa-Reuters”Attacks such as this strengthen, not weaken, the resolve of the US/Coalition, Afghan National Security Forces, and the Afghan people,” said a US commander, Major-General Jason Kamiya.US forces have now suffered 47 deaths in combat in Afghanistan this year making it the worst period since they arrived to oust the Taliban in October 2001.The unit attacked yesterday in Dai Chopan district was involved in operations in support of the Sept.18 parliamentary and provincial elections, which the Taliban and other militants have condemned and vowed to disrupt.”The unit’s mission is part of a much larger operation to disrupt enemy forces and to thereby provide a safe environment for upcoming September elections,” the US military said.- Nampa-Reuters