Five Polish soldiers killed in Afghanistan: Media
Poland's news agency PAP cited unnamed government officials as saying the troops died when a roadside bomb exploded next to a Nato convoy.
When contacted by AFP, a spokesman for Polish forces in Afghanistan refused to issue an official comment "pending notification of the families of the victims".
Poland has 2,600 soldiers in Afghanistan and is one of the largest contributors to Nato's US-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), which expects to withdraw all combat troops by the end of 2014.
In Kabul, Isaf confirmed that five Nato soldiers were killed in an attack in the southeastern province of Ghazni, where Polish troops are responsible for security, but declined to release their nationalities in keeping with policy.
Ghazni provincial police chief Dilawar Zahid said the attack took place in the Rawza area of Ghazni city at 11:30 am (0700 GMT).
He confirmed casualties, but could not give an exact number.
A witness told AFP that an Isaf vehicle had been "totally destroyed" and saw helicopters evacuating casualties.
The Taliban claimed responsibility in a text message spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid sent to AFP. He claimed the Taliban had targeted a Polish convoy and killed several Nato soldiers, without providing any evidence.
Wednesday's killings bring to 36 Poland's death toll from the conflict in Afghanistan, where 140,000 US-led foreign troops are fighting a decade-long Taliban insurgency and supporting Afghan President Hamid Karzai's government.
Poland first sent forces to Afghanistan in March 2002, shortly after the Taliban regime collapsed following the 2001 US-led invasion.
Western capitals have started to withdraw combat troops from Afghanistan as part of plans to transfer increasing responsibility for security to Afghans.
But thousands of foreign soldiers are expected to remain in the war-torn country in a training and mentoring capacity well after 2014.
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@US CENTCOM: My condolences to the families of these soldiers.
@US CENTCOM: If you are indeed so committed to the Afghan people, then give them (and i mean all of them, an entire generation) a US style, A class education, the same as your citizens get in the best of state schools across your country.
Giving them a "vibrant" security force would only leave them in a perpetual state of conflict as the afghans would never see them as their own rather as a foreign controlled entity, a franchise of the US army.
For some reason, i believe that is exactly what you guys want......
@US CENTCOM:
With all due respect Maj David Nevers, I am deeply saddened by the loss of your soldiers but i wanted to ask you how many of inocent civilians are killed by drone strikes and air raids by US and NATO forces in afghanistan. Does that make US and NATO forces strickes cowardly as well??
@US CENTCOM
I thought US vice President Joe Biden had declared that the Taliban was not the enemy per se. Maybe, the lives of 5 Polish soldiers are mere hiccups in the calculus of impending negotiations?
@sam: I'd answer you if it wasn't for the fact your comparison makes absolutely no sense. Troops dying and citizens dying are in completely different categories in terms of cause, response and preparations.
Another cowardly act by the Taliban, attacking ISAF soldiers with roadside IEDs. Five Polish solders lost their lives while on security patrol in Ghazni province. The Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed responsibility in a text message to AFP.
Taliban have been attacking innocent civilians as well as ISAF forces. Their IEDs have killed thousands of civilians over the years. The United States has a commitment to the Afghan nation that by the time they leave a vibrant and trained Afghan Security Force will be there to protect the rights and freedom of the Afghan Nation. They have already started taking an active role in their nation’s security. Afghans love peace, and it can only be fully restored once the menace of terrorism is eliminated from the region.
Maj David Nevers DET-United States Central Command www.centcom.mil/ur
Tell Mr Biden Taliban are not enemies. They sent bouquet to NATO.
but then again Biden just said the Taliban were not the US and NATO's real enemies...kinda makes sense now :P
If NATO can not protect itself how can they protect Afghans.