Taliban attack wounds 2 American soldiers in Afghanistan

Two American soldiers were injured as their patrol came under attack in Afghanistan's troubled southern Zabul province Saturday, US military spokesman said Monday.

"A United States patrol reported receiving small arms fire northeast of Shinkay in Zabul province Saturday. Two US soldiers were wounded during the incident," Mark McCann told newsmen here.

He blamed no specific group for the incident but Zabul and the neighboring provinces of Uruzgan, Helmand and Kandahar the former stronghold of Taliban have been the scene of Taliban-related insurgency for the last three years.

The spokesman described the condition of the injured soldiers as stable.

However, he confirmed that "both are awaiting transport to a US medical facility in Germany."

Two pilots of a US army copter were also injured as their OH-58crashed near Shindand airport in western Herat province last Thursday. But the US military denies the involvement of any hostile fire in the incident.

Remnants of the Taliban movement whose regime collapsed under a US-led military campaign in late 2001 have vowed to continue Jihador holy war until the foreign troops leave Afghanistan.

Source: Xinhua