Suicide bomber foiled by accident

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — An attacker blew himself up in a failed assault on coalition forces Sunday in volatile southern Afghanistan, while two U.S. helicopters made emergency landings during combat operations, officials said.

The attempted attack against the coalition forces occurred after their convoy passed through the former Taliban stronghold of Kandahar. Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Yousuf Stanekzai said the explosives detonated when the attacker was hit by a motorcycle. The blast killed the attacker and motorcycle driver and wounded two other people.

In the neighboring Zabul province, three U.S. soldiers were injured when an improvised explosive device detonated near their convoy during combat operations near Deh Chopan, the U.S. military said today. They were in stable condition.

Hours earlier, the U.S. military said five American troops and an Afghan soldier suffered minor injuries when two helicopters made emergency landings during combat operations. All the injured were in stable condition, the military said.

The five U.S. soldiers were hurt when a CH-47 Chinook landed north of Kandahar. The other helicopter made an emergency landing at a forward operating base in neighboring Uruzgan province, injuring the Afghan soldier.