아프가니스탄 남부 지역에서 자전거에 탄 한 자살폭탄 공격범이 노트와 펜 등을 나누어 주던 북대서양조약기구, 나토군 병사들 주변에 수많은 어린이들이 모여있는 곳으로 돌진해 자폭함으로써 나토군 병사 4명이 숨지고 대부분 어린이들인 민간인 적어도 24명이 다쳤습니다.
나토 관계관들은 이들 병사의 국적은 공개하지 않았으나 아프간 관계관들은 이들이 캐나다 출신이라고 밝혔습니다.
자칭 탈레반 대변인이라고 밝힌 한 남자는 칸다하르 성 판즈와이 지역에서 발생한 이번 자살 폭탄 공격이 자신들이 저지른 소행이라고 주장했습니다.
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In southern Afghanistan, a suicide bomber rode a bicycle into a crowd of children and blew himself up (today/Monday) as NATO soldiers were handing out notebooks and pens. Four soldiers were killed and at least 24 civilians were hurt, most of them children.
NATO officials did not release the nationality of the soldiers, but Afghan officials said they were Canadians.
A purported Taleban spokesman calimed 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 codenamed 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.