Bomb blast in Afghan capital wounds NATO soldiers

KABUL, Aug 14 (Reuters) Four NATO soldiers and three Afghan civilians were wounded in Kabul today in a bomb blast blamed on the Taliban, officials said.

The bomb, apparently attached to a bicycle, went off as the soldiers' convoy passed on a road in a northern area of Kabul, a spokesman for the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Afghanistan said.

They were in stable condition, he added.

Three pedestrians also suffered injuries from the blast, said an Afghan police official. The explosion may have been triggered by a remote controlled device, and was almost certainly carried out by Taliban guerrillas, he added.

Yesterday, up to 20 militants were killed in a battle with Afghan and U S-led coalition forces in the southeastern province of Paktika, a statement issued by the U S-led coalition said.

The battle erupted after insurgents attacked an Afghan army post. Five Afghan soldiers were killed.

No Taliban official could be immediately reached for comment about either incident.

Afghanistan is going through the bloodiest phase of violence since U S-led coalition forces overthrew Taliban's Islamic government in 2001.

More than 1,400 people have been killed this year alone.

The toll also includes over 80 foreign troops.

REUTERS AB RS1346