Battle kills two U.S. soldiers; Afghan toll reaches 99

By The Associated Press

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KABUL, Afghanistan — Two U.S. soldiers were killed in a firefight with insurgents yesterday, while an Afghan vice president escaped a bomb attack on his convoy in the latest assassination attempt on a political leader.

U.S.-backed interim President Hamid Karzai, considered the favorite to win the Oct. 9 presidential election, survived an assassination attempt last week.

The Americans were killed in a clash with militants in the troubled southeastern province of Paktika, the military said.

Two other Americans were slightly wounded, and six Afghan government troops were taken to a U.S. base for treatment.

According to the Defense Department, 99 U.S. service members have died in or around Afghanistan — 54 of them killed in action — since the U.S. launched Operation Enduring Freedom after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

In northern Kunduz province, Nayiamatullah Shahrani, one of the country's four vice presidents, and a Cabinet minister were on route to inspect a road project when their convoy was hit by a bomb.

The bomb, hidden by the roadside, was detonated by remote control and damaged a car carrying Shahrani's bodyguards, Police Chief Mutaleb Beg said. One guard was injured.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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