ROME/KABUL, 6 May 2006 — Two Italian soldiers died and four others were injured yesterday in a bomb attack on a foreign troop convoy in the Afghan capital Kabul, Italian media quoted NATO sources as saying. The two victims were both members of Italy’s elite Alpino regiment and died as a result of their injuries. According to preliminary information provided by Italy’s Defense Ministry, an explosion hit two armored vehicles while they were patrolling the city.
Italy has about 2,000 peacekeeping soldiers stationed in Afghanistan. A total of 5 Italian soldiers have now died in the country since October 2004.
Also yesterday, five people including a key tribal chief and his son were killed in the latest spate of violence blamed on the Taleban in restive southern Afghanistan, officials said yesterday. Chieftain Haji Lala died along with his son and his bodyguard on Thursday when a roadside bomb planted by suspected Taleban rebels exploded beneath their vehicle in Helmand province, Interior Ministry spokesman Yousuf Stanizai said. A provincial spokesman earlier said that men were killed in a Taleban ambush.
The attack occurred in Grishk district, where authorities on Wednesday found the beheaded body of a policeman kidnapped and killed a day earlier, allegedly by the Taleban. Lala was an influential tribal chief and was the cousin of parliamentarian and former Helmand Governor Sher Mohammad Akhundzada.
Arab News