Three civilians, two police killed in fresh Afghan clashes

Jun 21, 2009, 12:40 GMT

Kabul - Three civilians, all women, were killed in the cross-fire of a battle between Taliban militants and NATO forces in eastern Afghanistan, while two policemen were killed in a roadside bomb attack in the country's centre, officials said Sunday.

Local officials in the eastern Kunar province said 11 more civilians were wounded in a clash between the members of the Islamist extremist Taliban and a joint NATO-Afghan National Army force in Pech Valley of Manogai district late Saturday.

Provincial governor Fazlullah Waheedi said the clash was triggered as the Taliban attacked a military convoy, adding that civilian casualties were caused by the shelling of homes in a nearby village.

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said two civilians died in the battle on Saturday while the third victim succumbed to her wounds at an ISAF medical facility in Bagram.

ISAF said in a statement that the civilians were caught in the crossfire 'of an unprovoked insurgent attack' on an Afghan National Army outpost.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said six foreign soldiers were killed in the attack that he said targeted a NATO military base. The spokesman said the attack on the base was part of the ongoing Nasrat (victory) operation against international and Afghan forces. He said one militant was also wounded in the clash.

Elsewhere, two policemen were killed in the central Maidan Wardak province early Sunday morning as a roadside bomb hit their patrol.

Shahidullah Shahid, spokesman for the Maidan Wardak governor, said the policemen were killed as they were patrolling an area near the provincial capital Maidan Shahr some 40 kilometres to the west of Kabul. The bomb was planted under a small bridge and blew up when the patrol was passing by, he said.

Violence has been escalating in Afghanistan in recent weeks as the country moves towards presidential elections set for August.