Two Afghan police dead, four missing in rebel raid

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Mar 19 (Reuters) Taliban insurgents raided an Afghan police post in the southern province on Kandahar today, killing two policemen, a government official said.

Four people were also missing after the pre-dawn attack, the latest in a wave of violence as more foreign peacekeepers prepare to deploy to the south.

Two Taliban fighters were killed in the attack on the police post, said Interior Ministry spokesman Yousuf Stanizai.

It was in the same area that nine policemen were killed in a blast on Friday as they recovered the bodies of four Macedonians the Taliban kidnapped and killed.

Taliban gunmen yesterday killed a prominent critic, a powerful former governor of Ghazni province, to the northeast of Kandahar, and four of his guards. Taliban also ambushed the province's current governor but he escaped unharmed.

The Taliban and allied militants are fighting to oust foreign forces and overthrow the Western-backed government.

The insurgents have vowed to step up violence in coming weeks as the weather warms up and snow blocking mountain passes melts. US commanders have also said they expect an increase in insurgent raids and bombings.

NATO members including Britain, Canada and the Netherlands are sending thousands more troops to Afghanistan while the United States is hoping to trim its 18,000-strong force by about 3,000.

Reuters DKS GC1547