| Page 2 of 2 < |
10 French Soldiers Killed by Taliban
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
Brig. Gen. Richard Blanchette, spokesman for NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, expressed sorrow over the losses. "This is a difficult time right now for the families and friends of those who died or were injured," Blanchette said in a statement. "The lives of these soldiers are irreplaceable, but this loss does not deter ISAF from supporting the people of Afghanistan in their fight against the enemies of peace and stability."
The battle on the outskirts of Kabul occurred amid increasing concern that Taliban insurgents were preparing a major attack on the capital itself. Insurgents have mounted several serious attacks on NATO and Afghan soldiers as well as civilians in areas near the eastern, western and southern edges of the city in recent months. Several rockets have been fired at the city.
The increased fighting has raised the international death toll. The Associated Press found that at least 44 international troops died in Afghanistan in June, compared to about 30 in Iraq
And, last week, three Western aid workers were killed by Taliban fighters who ambushed their marked convoy in Logar province, about 40 miles south of Kabul. The incident prompted the aid agency, the International Rescue Committee, to temporarily suspend its operations in the region.
Aleem Siddique, a spokesman for the U.N. mission in Afghanistan, said the mission's head, Kai Eide, recently met with several nongovernmental organizations to discuss growing security concerns in the region. In an effort to help minimize the threat to aid workers on highways, the United Nations has decided to increase the number of seats available to workers with such groups on its flights across the country, Siddique said. "We haven't seen this many security incidents since 2001," he said. "The security challenge we face is increasing."
Siddique added that Afghan security forces appear to be stepping up to the challenge. Noting the deployment Monday of about 7,000 Afghan soldiers and police in and around Kabul because of Independence Day celebrations, Siddique said increased involvement of Afghan forces appears to be helping to buttress the capital's defenses.
Special correspondent Javed Hamdard in Kabul contributed to this report.
