Two French soldiers killed in Afghan ambush

KABUL, Aug 26 (Reuters) Two French soldiers have been killed in an ambush in Afghanistan, the French Defence Ministry said today, the latest casualties in the bloodiest stretch of violence since the Taliban were overthrown five years ago.

A ministry official said the soldiers were on patrol with special forces when a bomb exploded and ''extremists'' opened fire with light weapons in an ambush 38 km from Mihtarlam, capital of the eastern province of Laghman.

The US-led coalition initially said the two were killed today, but a force spokesman later said it was yesterday.

Two other French soldiers were wounded. They were in stable condition.

Afghanistan is going through its bloodiest phase since US-led troops drove the Taliban from power after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

About 2,000 people, most of them militants but also including civilians, Afghan forces, aid workers and more than 90 foreign soldiers, have been killed in violence this year.

The violence involves a mixture of opposition to foreign and government forces, tribe wars, the illegal drugs trade and crime.

The insurgency is concentrated in the south and east, mostly in provinces bordering Pakistan, the Taliban's one-time backer.

Separately, NATO forces killed seven insurgents in an artillery strike in the southern province of Helmand yesterday, a statement by NATO said.

The Taliban could not be contacted for immediate commment.

NATO last month took over security for the restive southern region -- which includes the major drug-producing area -- from the US-led coalition in the alliance's biggest ground operation in its history. It is also due to take over from U S forces in the east by year-end.

REUTERS DKA VV1605