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Nato firing 'kills eight Afghans' | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Coalition troops in Afghanistan have opened fire after a suicide bomb attack on a convoy, killing eight civilians, Afghan authorities have said. | |
The incident occurred when the bomber struck a military vehicle on the main road linking the eastern city of Jalalabad with the Pakistan border. | |
Neither the US military nor Nato has yet commented on the incident. | |
Separately, Nato said two soldiers had been killed in southern Afghanistan but it has not yet given their nationality. | |
Spring offensive | Spring offensive |
A spokesman for the Nangarhar provincial police said eight people were killed and eight injured in the shooting after the convoy attack. | |
Noor Agha Zwak, a provincial government spokesman, added: "A suicide bomber attacked a convoy of foreign troops and subsequently the soldiers in the convoy fired in self defence resulting in the killing and wounding of some civilians." | |
An interior ministry official confirmed it knew of the firing. He said no-one had been hurt in the bomb attack. | |
No information has yet been given on the nationality of the International Security Assistance Force troops killed in fighting in southern Afghanistan or where the clash took place. | |
Most of the troops in southern Afghanistan are British, with a large presence in Helmand province, or Canadian, with a big contingent in neighbouring Kandahar. | |
Twenty foreign soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan so far this year. | Twenty foreign soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan so far this year. |
Nato fears that Taleban violence will escalate in several areas of Afghanistan as the winter snows thaw. | |
Nato commanders have said they need more soldiers to tackle the expected spring offensive. | Nato commanders have said they need more soldiers to tackle the expected spring offensive. |
Last Tuesday at least nine people were killed in a suicide bombing at the main US base in Afghanistan, Bagram near Kabul, during a visit by US Vice-President Dick Cheney. | Last Tuesday at least nine people were killed in a suicide bombing at the main US base in Afghanistan, Bagram near Kabul, during a visit by US Vice-President Dick Cheney. |