Suicide Bomber Kills Four NATO Soldiers in Southern Afghanistan

阿富汗南部自杀炸弹炸死四名北约军人

Four Canadian soldiers were killed and 25 children wounded in southern Afghanistan today (Monday) by a suicide bomber who rode a bicycle into a crowd and blew himself up as NATO troops were handing out notebooks and pens.

A purported Taleban spokesman claimed responsibility for the blast in the Panjwai district of Kandahar province.

On Sunday, NATO said its forces along with Afghan troops had forced Taleban insurgents out of Panjwai district after a two-week offensive code-named Operation Medusa. The operation in the grape-farming district was the alliance's biggest ground offensive.

NATO commanders say more than 500 Taleban fighters were killed in southern Afghanistan over the past two weeks.

今天(星期一)，北约部队的4名加拿大军人遭遇自杀炸弹袭击而阵亡，另有25名儿童受伤。当时，北约的士兵们正向孩子们分发笔记本和笔，一名自杀炸弹袭击者骑着自行车闯入人群，然后引爆身上的炸弹。

一名自称是塔利班发言人的人宣称对这次发生在坎大哈省本杰瓦尔区的袭击负责。

星期天，北约官员说，在长达两个星期的代号“美杜莎”的行动中，北约部队连同阿富汗部队已经将塔利班反叛分子驱逐出本杰瓦尔地区。在这个葡萄产区的这一行动是盟军部队最大的地面攻势。

北约指挥官说，在过去的两个星期中，500多名塔班战斗人员在阿富汗南部被击毙。