Car bomb explosion kills six soldiers in Afghanistan

At least six Afghan soldiers have been killed and three others wounded in a car bomb explosion in Afghanistan’s northern province of Balkh, the Afghan Defense Ministry says.

The ministry announced the incident in a brief statement posted on its Facebook account on Thursday. No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the bombing, but the Taliban militant group is active in parts of Balkh.

Apart from detonating explosive-ridden vehicles, Taliban militants often plant roadside bombs and landmines to target Afghan and foreign forces. The deadly weapons also inflict heavy casualties on civilians.

The US invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 and overthrew a Taliban regime in power at the time. But US forces have remained bogged down there through the presidencies of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and now Donald Trump.

Some 18 years on, Washington is seeking a truce with the militants, who now control or have influence in about half of Afghanistan’s territory.

Nearly 20,000 foreign troops, most of them Americans, are currently deployed in Afghanistan as part of a mission to purportedly train, assist, and advise Afghan security forces.

Source: Press TV