Kabul:Ten NATO-led French soldiers were killed Tuesday morning in a clash with Taliban militants east of Kabul, officials said.

Taliban militants attacked the French soldiers' convoy in Saroubi district, some 50 km east of the capital Kabul, an army source who declined to be named told DPA.

He said more than a dozen other soldiers were also wounded.

A spokeswoman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) did not confirm the death toll but said its soldiers were involved in a combat outside of Kabul city.

General Zahir Azimi, a defence ministry spokesman, claimed that several militants were also killed in the attack in the Uzbeen area of the district.

"Thirteen bodies are with the army," he said.

Taliban militants said in a statement posted on their website that their forces attacked a convoy of "American forces" in Saroubi district after midnight Tuesday, killing 20 soldiers and
destroying five military tanks.

The rebel statement said that five Taliban militants and several civilians were also killed in the airstrike by the foreign forces that was carried out Tuesday morning.

The statement said the fighting was still going on.

Kabul city has been the scene of frequent Taliban attacks in recent months.

 

Source : IANS