Suicide bomb kills three Nato soldiers in Afghanistan

US soldier and two Afghan troops were wounded

US troops walk at their base in Logar province, Afghanistan. Reuters. File.

A lone Taliban suicide bomber killed three Nato soldiers on foot patrol in eastern Afghanistan, the US military said on Sunday.

The Czech military service confirmed the three were Czech service members.

Three more troops were wounded, including an American soldier and two Afghan National Army soldiers, when the patrol was targeted by a Taliban militant early on Sunday morning.

A Nato Resolute Support mission service member was also wounded.

"Their sacrifice will endure in both our hearts and history and further strengthen our resolve," said US Army Gen John Nicholson, commander of Resolute Support and US Forces-Afghanistan.

Czech defence minister, Lubomir Metnar also offered his condolences.

Wahida Shahkar, the spokeswoman for the provincial governor in the Parwan province, said the blast happened at 6am near the provincial capital, Charakar, in the Khalazai area of the city.

"Three Resolute Support service members were killed by a suicide bomber during a combined, dismounted patrol with Afghan forces in eastern Afghanistan," the mission said in a statement.

The US military statement did not disclose the nationality of the soldiers killed.

The Czech military recently approved plans to increase the number of troops stationed in Afghanistan from 230 to 390 through 2020.

Nato formally concluded its combat mission in Afghanistan in 2014 but about 16,000 US and other Nato soldiers are posted in the country as a part of "Resolute Support" - a mission aimed at training Afghan forces and providing counterterrorism measures.

Both the Taliban and ISIS operate in the area, but the Taliban is thought to be the largest of the two groups.

"We have killed eight US invaders in a tactical bombing," Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman, said in a statement claiming responsibility.

"The invaders had to bring three helicopter ambulances to protect their forces," he said.

Last month, the Taliban hit a Nato convoy with a suicide bomb, killing two civilians and badly damaging a Nato vehicle.

In July, the British government agreed to double the number of troops it has in Afghanistan assisting Afghan troops fighting Taliban and ISIS.

_______________

Read more:

Nato officially initiates UAE into Afghan mission

US and Taliban talks 'positive' as sides work on lasting ceasefire at Eid Al Adha

Return of exiled Afghan vice president divides country