Three German soldiers were killed in Afghanistan Tuesday when their patrol near the northern city of Kunduz came under fire, the defence ministry in Berlin said.
The soldiers were conducting a joint operation with Afghan forces, which is still ongoing, ministry spokesman Thomas Raabe told AFP. The men fired back when they came under attack and requested air support and reinforcements.
"Three soldiers have fallen," Raabe said.
The German base in Kunduz is a frequent target of attacks by insurgents.
Germany has some 3,700 troops serving with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force ISAF, stationed in the relatively calm north of the country.
But the security situation in the north has deteriorated, prompting Chancellor Angela Merkel's government in 2008 to increase the number of German troops in Afghanistan to up to 4,400 by later this year.
Since 2002, 35 German troops have died in Afghanistan.
The mission is highly unpopular in Germany and is set to be an issue in the campaign for general elections on September 27.
A surfer catches a wave off of Kewalo Basin in Hawaii. AP Photo/Marco Garcia
New User?
New User?
buzzed up:
14 seconds ago 2009-06-23T06:23:07-07:00
buzzed up:
16 seconds ago 2009-06-23T06:23:05-07:00
buzzed up:
16 seconds ago 2009-06-23T06:23:05-07:00
buzzed up:
17 seconds ago 2009-06-23T06:23:04-07:00
buzzed up:
18 seconds ago 2009-06-23T06:23:03-07:00
0 comments:
Post a Comment