Four German soldiers killed in suicide attack

Four German soldiers were killed and nine others seriously injured when a suicide attacker detonated a car bomb in an attack on peacekeepers in Afghanistan today, German Defence Minister Peter Struck said.

The blast, which occurred early today when a car bomber drove up to a bus carrying 33 peacekeepers to the Afghan International Airport to depart for Germany, was the deadliest attack yet on the international force in Afghanistan, he said.

No concrete warnings had been issued before the blast, Struck told a news conference, adding that it was not immediately clear if the Germans were specifically targeted.

The attack shows that the security situation in Afghanistan “is not sure and is not stable” despite the efforts of the 5,000-strong international peacekeeping force, which includes 2,000 Germans.

He declined, however, to discuss whether he though al-Qaida was behind the attack, saying only that Germans are investigating the attack, along side the Afghan police.

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder also condemned a suspected suicide attack in Afghanistan today as the “cowardly” and “underhanded” work of terrorists.

Schroeder expressed his shock at the attack, which he said was aimed at returning Afghanistan to the state of war and anarchy that has ruled it for the past 20 years.

“Based on everything that we can tell so far, this cowardly and underhanded attack was carried out by terrorists who are against the efforts to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan,” Schroeder said in a statement.

There were conflicting reports of the number of injured. German army officials said a total of 30 other people, including Afghan civilians, were hurt.

Schroeder expressed his condolences to the families of those soldiers killed and wished the other Germans in Afghanistan strength to carry out their mission.

“Our thoughts are ... with all the other German soldiers serving in the area who will have to carry out the difficult duties of their mission,” Schroeder said.

Before today’s attack, 15 peacekeepers – including one German – had died on duty in Afghanistan, all of them in accidents.

Germany and the Netherlands are currently in joint command of the force, but are due to hand over control to Nato in August. At about that time, the German and Dutch forces are scheduled to return home and be replaced by about 1,800 Canadian soldiers.