Suicide blast kills 2 foreign soldiers outside Kabul

KABUL (Reuters) - A suicide bomber hit a convoy of foreign troops on the outskirts of the Afghan capital on Wednesday and killed two soldiers, an Afghan police source said.

Officials for both NATO and the U.S. military said a blast had hit a convoy foreign troops on a road leading to Bagram airfield, to the north of Kabul, but had no further details. Bagram is the key base for U.S.-led troops in Afghanistan.

The Afghan police source, speaking on condition he not be identified, said at least one vehicle in the convoy was destroyed, but could not say if the bomber was on foot or had used a car.

More than seven years since the Taliban's ouster, and despite a rising number of foreign troops, violence is escalating in Afghanistan as the Taliban insurgency gains strength in the south and east of the country.

The Taliban rely on suicide attacks and roadside bombs as a major part of their campaign to drive out foreign forces.

(Reporting by Sayed Salahuddin; Editing by Valerie Lee)

Article Published: 20/05/2009