Taliban attacks as German FM visits Kabul

[Coventina]

Source: UPI

KABUL, Afghanistan, April 29 (UPI) -- A suicide bomber blew himself up in northern Afghanistan, injuring five German soldiers just as Germany's foreign minister was there for a surprise visit.

The attacker approached a German Bundeswehr patrol some 10 miles south of Kunduz in his car and then blew himself up, the German Defense Ministry said Wednesday. The explosion injured five troops and severely damaged an armored vehicle.

German daily Bild reports the Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack. It happened shortly after German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier had landed in Kunduz for an unannounced visit to Afghanistan, where Germany has some 4,000 troops serving with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.

The foreign minister met Wednesday with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul. Steinmeier also commented on the bombing, saying that Germany would not be bullied out of the country because of such "cowardice attacks."



Read more: http://www.upi.com/Emerging_Threats/2009/04/29/Taliban-attacks-as-German-FM-visits-Kabul/UPI-77341241012911/