Taliban kill eight Afghan police
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
KABUL, Mar 23 (AFP): Taliban fighters ambushed a police vehicle in southern Afghanistan Monday, killing eight policemen, a senior official said, in the latest in a surge of attacks after the end of winter.
The ambush took place in the village of Rabat in Kandahar province on the border with Pakistan, where many militants fled after the US-led invasion in late 2001 that ousted the extremist Taliban regime.
"A police vehicle was attacked in an ambush in the Rabat area of Spin Boldak district in which eight police were killed and one wounded," said local highway police commander Sahib Jan.
Kandahar is the birthplace of the Taliban militia, who swept into power in 1996 amid the chaos of civil war and are now trying to stage a comeback.
The ambush took place in the village of Rabat in Kandahar province on the border with Pakistan, where many militants fled after the US-led invasion in late 2001 that ousted the extremist Taliban regime.
"A police vehicle was attacked in an ambush in the Rabat area of Spin Boldak district in which eight police were killed and one wounded," said local highway police commander Sahib Jan.
Kandahar is the birthplace of the Taliban militia, who swept into power in 1996 amid the chaos of civil war and are now trying to stage a comeback.