Three US Soldiers Among 8 Killed by Afghan Suicide Donkey Bombing

Three US soldiers were among eight people killed today in the Wardak Province when a suicide bomber disguised as a farmer rode up on them with a donkey and a lot of explosives, detonating in their midst along the highway.

The site of some of the most high profile unrest against US occupation forces, Wardak Province also lies along a critical highway leading to the Afghan capital of Kabul. It was during a patrol along this highway that the attack occurred.

Incredibly, donkey bombs are a recurring problem in Afghanistan, with a few occurring every year. Usually, however, the donkeys are simply coaxed to head toward a checkpoint and detonated remotely, not with a suicide rider as today.

In rural Afghanistan donkeys are a go-to choice for transportation, so a donkey loaded with a parcel isn’t automatically suspicious. Much as with motorcycle bombs and car and truck bombs in more urban settings, the donkey bomb simply fills the need of transporting a heavy parcel of explosives.