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| Three die in fresh Afghan attack | Three die in fresh Afghan attack |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Three Nato soldiers have been killed in new violence in Afghanistan, days after a deadly Taleban attack on French troops in the country. | Three Nato soldiers have been killed in new violence in Afghanistan, days after a deadly Taleban attack on French troops in the country. |
| The soldiers died in Ghazni province, in the centre of Afghanistan. Polish news agency PAP said they were members of Warsaw's contingent in the country. | The soldiers died in Ghazni province, in the centre of Afghanistan. Polish news agency PAP said they were members of Warsaw's contingent in the country. |
| Elsewhere, there were unconfirmed reports that coalition troops killed 30 militants to the north-east of Kabul. | Elsewhere, there were unconfirmed reports that coalition troops killed 30 militants to the north-east of Kabul. |
| UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has meanwhile flown to Afghanistan. | |
| Mr Brown, who made the surprise stop en route to Beijing for the closing ceremony of the Olympics, visited British troops at their main base in Helmand province. | |
| He then moved on to Kabul for talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. | |
| His visit comes at a time where there has been an upsurge in deadly violence around the country. | |
| Earlier this week 10 French soldiers died and 21 were injured in a Taleban ambush, prompting President Nicolas Sarkozy to make a visit to the country to meet troops. | Earlier this week 10 French soldiers died and 21 were injured in a Taleban ambush, prompting President Nicolas Sarkozy to make a visit to the country to meet troops. |
| See a breakdown of the Isaf deployment | See a breakdown of the Isaf deployment |
| And in the east of the country a wave of suicide bombers attacked a US military base in the province of Khost, sparking a major battle. | And in the east of the country a wave of suicide bombers attacked a US military base in the province of Khost, sparking a major battle. |
| Attacks intensifying | Attacks intensifying |
| A Nato spokesman would not confirm the nationalities of the three soldiers killed in the latest militant attack. | A Nato spokesman would not confirm the nationalities of the three soldiers killed in the latest militant attack. |
| However, the spokesman said the three troops died in an improvised explosive device (IED) strike in Ghazni on Wednesday. | However, the spokesman said the three troops died in an improvised explosive device (IED) strike in Ghazni on Wednesday. |
| Poland's PAP news agency quoted a Polish officer as saying the attack happened just 20km (12 miles) from their base. | Poland's PAP news agency quoted a Polish officer as saying the attack happened just 20km (12 miles) from their base. |
| As of June 2008, Poland had 1,140 troops in Afghanistan, Nato said. | As of June 2008, Poland had 1,140 troops in Afghanistan, Nato said. |
| News of the latest attack on coalition troops came as commanders said they had inflicted heavy losses on the rebels north-east of the capital, Kabul. | News of the latest attack on coalition troops came as commanders said they had inflicted heavy losses on the rebels north-east of the capital, Kabul. |
| Airstrikes and small-arms fire were used in the attack, in Laghman province, officials said. | Airstrikes and small-arms fire were used in the attack, in Laghman province, officials said. |
| They also said no coalition troops and no Afghan civilians were injured in the operation. | They also said no coalition troops and no Afghan civilians were injured in the operation. |
| However, there was no reliable confirmation of rebel casualty figures. | However, there was no reliable confirmation of rebel casualty figures. |
| There have been continued signs in recent weeks that fighting is intensifying across Afghanistan, with rebel attacks reaching ever-closer to the capital. | There have been continued signs in recent weeks that fighting is intensifying across Afghanistan, with rebel attacks reaching ever-closer to the capital. |
| High toll | High toll |
| Mr Sarkozy visited his country's forces on Wednesday, insisting that the incident - one of the most deadly single attacks on coalition soldiers in years - would not deter Paris from its commitment to the country. The cause is just, it is the honour of France and its armies to defend it Nicolas SarkozyFrench president Afghan deaths unsettle FranceTaleban grow more brazenFrench press question Afghan role class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7573942.stm">Brown visits UK troops | |
| Now back in Paris, the president will lead tributes to the soldiers in a ceremony later on Thursday. | Now back in Paris, the president will lead tributes to the soldiers in a ceremony later on Thursday. |
| Mr Sarkozy visited Afghanistan on Wednesday in the wake of what was thought to be the heaviest loss of life suffered by the French military since 58 paratroopers were killed in Beirut in 1983. | Mr Sarkozy visited Afghanistan on Wednesday in the wake of what was thought to be the heaviest loss of life suffered by the French military since 58 paratroopers were killed in Beirut in 1983. |
| His message was one of support not just to the troops, but also to the Nato alliance and Mr Karzai, says the BBC's Alastair Leithead in Kabul. | His message was one of support not just to the troops, but also to the Nato alliance and Mr Karzai, says the BBC's Alastair Leithead in Kabul. |
| "Even though the toll is so high, you should be proud of what you are doing. The work that you're doing here is indispensable," Mr Sarkozy told his troops. | "Even though the toll is so high, you should be proud of what you are doing. The work that you're doing here is indispensable," Mr Sarkozy told his troops. |
| The French deployment is not popular at home and the decision was made in April to send extra fighting troops to an even more dangerous part of the country, our correspondent adds. | The French deployment is not popular at home and the decision was made in April to send extra fighting troops to an even more dangerous part of the country, our correspondent adds. |
| ISAF REGIONAL COMMANDS AND TROOP NUMBERS Countries contributing more than 1,000 troops | ISAF REGIONAL COMMANDS AND TROOP NUMBERS Countries contributing more than 1,000 troops |
| Australia - 1,100Canada - 2,500France - 2,600Germany - 3,370Italy - 2,350 Netherlands - 1,770Poland - 1,140UK - 8,530US - 14,000* Sources: Isaf, August 2008. *US government statistics. Figures are approximate | Australia - 1,100Canada - 2,500France - 2,600Germany - 3,370Italy - 2,350 Netherlands - 1,770Poland - 1,140UK - 8,530US - 14,000* Sources: Isaf, August 2008. *US government statistics. Figures are approximate |
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