US soldier wounded

A suspected suicide bomber blew up his small truck as a military convoy drove by outside the southern Afghan city of Kandahar yesterday, wounding a US soldier, officials and eyewitnesses said.

The soldier received “superficial wounds” as a result of the blast which occurred about 6 kilometres outside the city on the main highway to Kabul, said Maj. Scott Lundy, a NATO spokesman.Highway police commander Mohammad Anwar, coming from the scene, said he saw the body of a suicide bomber and a wounded soldier.An eyewitness at the scene said a small truck exploded as the convoy was passing, lightly damaging a US armoured vehicle.”The small truck exploded and one of the military vehicles burst into flames,” said Adbul Mohammad.NATO-led troops, who took over control of security for southern Afghanistan from the US-led coalition last Monday, have suffered eight fatalities since then.However, American-led troops still operate in the area.It was unclear who controlled the convoy.A Canadian military official said none of their troops were involved in the incident.The attack took place in the same province where five Canadians were killed last week.Their bodies were due to arrive in Trenton, Canada, late yesterday.In the western Badghis province, four suspected Taliban killed two police using rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns at a checkpoint in Murghab district, said provincial deputy police chief Abdul Amid.Meanwhile, in Ghazni province, where floods killed three and destroyed 1 600 houses on Friday, an official said he had still not received any aid promised by the central government, the UN and private organisations.Abdul Ali Fakuri, a spokesman for Ghazni’s governor, said 100 tents and some food had been provided to the thousands left homeless.”We are very hopeful the assistance will arrive soon because the people lost almost everything,” he said.Nampa-APScott Lundy, a NATO spokesman.Highway police commander Mohammad Anwar, coming from the scene, said he saw the body of a suicide bomber and a wounded soldier.An eyewitness at the scene said a small truck exploded as the convoy was passing, lightly damaging a US armoured vehicle.”The small truck exploded and one of the military vehicles burst into flames,” said Adbul Mohammad.NATO-led troops, who took over control of security for southern Afghanistan from the US-led coalition last Monday, have suffered eight fatalities since then.However, American-led troops still operate in the area.It was unclear who controlled the convoy.A Canadian military official said none of their troops were involved in the incident.The attack took place in the same province where five Canadians were killed last week.Their bodies were due to arrive in Trenton, Canada, late yesterday.In the western Badghis province, four suspected Taliban killed two police using rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns at a checkpoint in Murghab district, said provincial deputy police chief Abdul Amid.Meanwhile, in Ghazni province, where floods killed three and destroyed 1 600 houses on Friday, an official said he had still not received any aid promised by the central government, the UN and private organisations.Abdul Ali Fakuri, a spokesman for Ghazni’s governor, said 100 tents and some food had been provided to the thousands left homeless.”We are very hopeful the assistance will arrive soon because the people lost almost everything,” he said.Nampa-AP