9 Killed in Afghanistan Taliban Suicide Attack

VOA News February 18, 2011

A suicide car bomber has killed at least nine people and wounded more than 40 others in eastern Afghanistan.

Authorities say the attacker targeted a police station in the city of Khost Friday. At least two police officers and women and children were among the dead.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the bombing, which took place near the Pakistani border.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai and NATO condemned the attack.

In other violence Friday, officials say a person wearing an Afghan army uniform opened fire on NATO soldiers in northern Afghanistan, killing a German soldier and wounding eight others.

The incident took place at a coalition outpost in the Pul-e-Khumri district of Baghlan province. NATO says the coalition soldiers were working on a vehicle when they were fired at. They returned fire, critically wounding the attacker.

Also Friday, NATO says one of its service members died following a bomb blast in southern Afghanistan.

In the country's east, NATO says more than 30 insurgents were killed during an overnight operation in Kunar province.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.