A powerful bomb explosion has ripped through a US military convoy in Kabul, killing at least six US-led soldiers and several Afghan civilians.\n<\/p>\n
The casualties came after the strong explosion targeted a convoy of vehicles carrying US-led foreign forces in Afghanistan\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s capital, Kabul, on Thursday morning.\n<\/p>\n
Afghan officials say the blast killed six foreign troops, including two Americans, and also eight Afghan civilians. But the US-led Western military alliance said two American soldiers and four contractors died in the deadly blast.\n<\/p>\n
Media reports say nearly three dozen Afghan civilians were injured in the incident\n<\/p>\n
Afghanistan’s Islamic Party led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has claimed responsibility for the fresh bombing.\n<\/p>\n
Over seventy US-led foreign troops have been killed in Afghanistan so far this year. Most of those who have died are Americans.\n<\/p>\n
The latest deaths bring the number of US-led soldiers killed in Afghanistan this year to at least 65.\n<\/p>\n
According to the latest figures released by the website icasualties.org, 3,314 foreign soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since the US-led war began in October 2001.\n<\/p>\n
The number of casualties among foreign troops peaks at this time of year, known as the Taliban spring offensive, as the militants step up their attacks on US-led forces during this period.\n<\/p>\n
The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan as part of Washington\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but the country is still gripped by insecurity.\n<\/p>\n
The Afghan conflict has seen a surge in attacks on foreign troops in recent months. More than four hundred foreign soldiers were killed in the war-torn country last year alone.\n<\/p>\n
The increasing number of military casualties in Afghanistan has caused widespread anger in the US and other NATO member states, undermining public support for the Afghan war.\n<\/p>\n
JR\/SS<\/p>\n