Afghanistan: Ten French NATO soldiers killed in Sorubi district
19 August, 2008 (13:13) | Palestine/Middle East | 
vercingetorix
Ten French NATO soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan during a battle with the Taliban near Kabul.
Presidential sources in Paris revealed that the troops had been involved in a fierce fire fight in the Sorubi district, some 30 miles east of the Afghan capital.
Around 13 Taliban fighters are also thought to have died, with fighting believed to be ongoing.
Photo: AFP
The latest deaths will mean France has so far lost 22 service personnel during Operation Enduring Freedom, the campaign to rid Afghanistan of terrorist insurgents.
This compares to British deaths totalling 116, and 574 American deaths.
The latest fighting began on Monday evening when the Taliban ambushed an International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) patrol in the Sarobi district, some 30 miles east of the Afghan capital.
“Fighting went on all night and is ongoing,” said a French officer.
Most of the 3,000 French troops in the 40-nation coalition are in Kabul province, which includes Sarobi, and Kapisa, northeast of Kabul.
A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahed, said militants had attacked Isaf troops in Sarobi and blown up a number of vehicles.
“We have inflicted heavy casualties,” said Mujahed, adding that air strikes had been called in agaist the Taliban.
The governor of Sarobi district, Sayed Slaiman, said: “We know that the enemy had casualties and they have left their dead bodies behind.”
Source: telegraph.co.uk/
| 0.0 |
« Latest art work by Carlos Latuff
Algerien: 43 Tote bei Selbstmordanschlag in Issers »
