Four NATO Servicemen Killed In Blast

Three blasts rocked Kandahar city a few minutes apart, killing up to four officials of the Afghan police, whereas four NATO troops died in other attacks.

Two police officials died and 10 were injured in explosions in the biggest city in southern Afghanistan, told Zelmai Ayubi, the provincial governor's spokesperson. Officials at the Mirwais Hospital claimed higher casualties, saying that four officers were killed and 17 civilians were wounded.

According to Ayubi, the target of the first blast was an Afghan police station, and as policemen gathered at the scene to rescue the injured, two more explosions were carried out.

Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban movement, is considered key to the war in Afghanistan. NATO and Afghan forced are carrying out a major military operation to deprive militants of their safe havens there.

In other incidents, three NATO servicemen were killed in bomb blasts in south of the country on Monday, while another died in an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan. The latest casualties brought the number of coalition troops dead in the first week of October to 11. At least 57 coalition troops died last month, including 42 US troops.

This year has already been the deadliest for coalition forces in the nine-year war, and the rising toll has dampened the commitment of several NATO members with the demand to pull out troops quickly getting stronger day by day.

Meanwhile, Taliban spokesperson Qari Yousuf Ahmedi blamed NATO of trying to demoralize militants by "inventing" Taliban leaders and claiming that they were captured or killed. "Most of the commanders' names NATO are using don't even exist", he said, while adding, "This is just a game from the American side, nothing else".