Five killed in bombings in Afghanistan

April 25, 2009 at 1:55 PM

KABUL, Afghanistan, April 25 (UPI) --

Three suicide bombers killed five people and injured another eight Saturday near the governor's office in Kandahar, said officials in Afghanistan.

"One detonated on the street outside the compound. The other entered a container where police stay and detonated there. The other entered through the compound door and blew himself up," said Ahmad Wali Karzai, head of the provincial council in Kandahar.

The governor was not harmed in the bombing, which killed two police officers, three security guards and the bombers, CNN reported.

In southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, U.S.-led troops Saturday killed 14 suspected Taliban Movement in the Sangin district, reported KUNA, the Kuwaiti news service.

Afghan and coalition forces Saturday also arrested three suspected Taliban fighters in southeastern Khost province, KUNA reported.

Dozen Taliban killed in fighting

Ambush on Afghan convoy sets off heavy gunbattle

Amir Shah and Fisnik Abrashi / Associated Press

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Kabul --

International and Afghan troops clashed with Taliban fighters in heavy fighting that left at least 12 alleged Taliban fighters dead in central Afghanistan on Friday, officials said.

NATO forces said they could not confirm any deaths in the fighting but that one of its troops was wounded.

The battle started when an Afghan convoy was ambushed by insurgents in Wardak province's Chak district, said provincial Police Chief Gen. Abdul Yamen Muzafaruddin. As the gunbattle waged for more than an hour, international forces called in an air strike, he said.

Muzafaruddin said they had collected 12 bodies of alleged Taliban fighters, but that he had reports of as many as 18 more. No army troops were killed, though one was wounded, he said.

A large explosion reverberated through the valley as the battle waged, according to an AP reporter on the scene. A medical helicopter could be seen apparently evacuating the Afghan soldier from the valley, which has become the scene of regular clashes between U.S.-led forces and Taliban fighters.

Wardak Gov. Halim Fidai confirmed the firefight and called it a large and lengthy battle. Wardak province, on the western edge of the capital, has seen more violence as militants try to destabilize the area around Kabul.

NATO forces spokesman Lt. Col. Ludger Terbrueggen confirmed the fighting and one wounded service member, but said he had no reports of any deaths on either side.