Eight NATO Soldiers Killed Across Afghanistan

Four Americans Reportedly Among the Slain

A statement from NATO today reported that at least eight soldiers from their occupation force were slain in a series of bomb blasts across southern Afghanistan over the past two days. The statement offered no details on the nationalities of the slain.

However, an unnamed Afghan official quoted in several Western media outlets identified at least four of the eight slain as Americans. The report is the first major casualty report of the new year, though two other soldiers were reported slain earlier this week (one American and one British) in two separate incidents.

Three of the slain were killed in an IED blast yesterday, while one was killed today in an insurgent attack and four others were killed in a roadside bomb. The deadliest attack took place in the Kandahar Province, reportedly not far from a US military base.

Large casualty incidents are unusual in January, as Afghanistan has little infrastructure and harsh winters, making much of the nation impassable until spring. Though the length of the winters varies, they usually last well into March or April.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.