Three Germans killed in blast near Afghan capital

KABUL, Aug 15 (Reuters) Three Germans travelling in a diplomatic convoy were killed and one was wounded in a roadside bomb blast near the Afghan capital Kabul today, the local police chief said.

Baryali Parwani, chief of police of the Bagrami district, southeast of Kabul, said the convoy was hit by a remote-controlled roadside bomb.

A white four-wheel-drive vehicle was totally destroyed by the blast on a dirt track leading to a NATO and Afghan army training base. German and French troops cordoned off the area.

A spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) confirmed there was an attack on a German embassy convoy on the outskirts of Kabul, but could not comment on any casualties.

A German embassy spokesman said he was aware of an incident, but could not make any further comment.

The German government is under pressure from the opposition and public opinion to withdraw its 3,200 troops from Afghanistan where more than 20 of them have been killed since 2001.

REUTERS SLD BD1459