US considers new Afghan offensives

The US military is considering new offensives in southern Afghanistan after the ambush that killed two American servicemen.

US Army spokesman Col Roger King said Saturday’s ambush “helps paint the picture for future operations”.

However, he said, the attack also “points out that it’s a challenge to pick out enemy forces that are made up of local Afghans”.

Last night, a rocket hit the headquarters of the international peacekeeping force that patrols Kabul, the Afghan capital. No injuries were reported.

Afghan authorities say Taliban, their al-Qaida allies and forces loyal to a renegade rebel commander are behind the killings and the rocket attacks.

Saturday’s attack in the southern province of Helmand was the first fatal encounter for US forces in Afghanistan since December.

A Special Forces soldier and an airman were killed and another Special Forces trooper wounded when their four-vehicle convoy was ambushed on a reconnaissance patrol.

Three Afghan soldiers were also wounded.

The attack occurred two days after an international Red Cross worker was killed in neighbouring Kandahar province.

The region is the birthplace of the hardline Taliban regime driven from power by American-led forces in late 2001.