Afghan suicide attack hits NATO patrol

KABUL — A suicide attack hit a NATO patrol Wednesday in eastern Afghanistan, killing three coalition servicemen, the international military force said, while Afghan officials added that a civilian also was killed in the bombing.

Hours later on the other side of the country, a roadside bomb hit a bus, killing at least three people, a witness said. Many wounded passengers were trapped in the bus by a fierce battle between insurgents and Afghan police that raged most of the day.

The Taliban quickly claimed responsibility for the bombing of the NATO patrol in Kunar province, an eastern stronghold of the insurgency that lies along the volatile border with Pakistan where militants have hide-outs.

The attack emphasized the insurgency’s continued ability to wage violence despite fierce efforts by the Afghan government and international forces to wipe out their leadership.

In Kunar, two attackers wearing suicide vests detonated their explosives as a NATO foot patrol passed by the headquarters of the provincial government, provincial police chief Ewas Mohammad Naziri said.

NATO confirmed that three of its servicemen were killed in a suicide attack, but did not give any more details, including the nationalities of the servicemen killed. Wednesday’s attack took to 15 the number of international troops killed so far in August.

At least one Afghan civilian was killed and three were wounded in twin blasts that took place about 10 a.m., said Wasifullah Wasify, a spokesman for Kunar’s governor.

He said the bombers struck just outside the government compound in the provincial capital of Asadabad during a meeting of the provincial council. Several foreigners also were in the compound, attending a security briefing.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement that two insurgents drove explosives-laden vehicles into the NATO patrol from opposite directions. He claimed they killed 17 international soldiers. The insurgents typically claim far higher death tolls in their attacks.

The other attack later Wednesday took place when a roadside bomb hit a bus in the western province of Farah, killing at least three people, a passenger said. Many of the wounded were unable to get help because insurgents and Afghan police were fighting, police and the local health director said.

Insurgents attacked a police checkpoint in Farah province about midday Wednesday, and the struggle for the road continued for hours, provincial Deputy Police Chief Mohammad Ghaws Milyar said. He said one militant was killed but police casualties were still unclear because the battle was still going on in the late afternoon.

The bus, which had been traveling in the same area, hit a roadside bomb apparently planted by insurgents, but Milyar said police were unable to determine how many had been killed or to help the wounded because of the fighting. Information for this article was contributed by Kay Johnson and Amir Shah of The Associated Press.