Roadside bombing wounds 8 police in E. Afghanistan

Eight Afghan National Police (ANP) were wounded on Saturday as their van hit a roadside bomb in Paktia province of eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, police said.

"The incident occurred at around 10 a.m. local time (0530 GMT) in Ibrahim Khil area near the capital city Gardez when an ANP unit was on routine patrol by their vehicle," deputy to provincial police chief Ghulam Dastgir Rustamyar told Xinhua.

Three of the eight wounded are in critical situation, he added.

In separate incident, 10 villagers who were busy in reconstructing road were kidnapped by Taliban militants in Waza Zadran district of Paktia province in eastern Afghanistan Saturday morning, district chief Abdul Wali Zadran told Xinhua.

However, Taliban militants told media via cell phone from undisclosed location that 15 villagers, who have not heeded the warning of outfits, have been made captive.

Violence and Taliban-led militancy has been increasing in the post-Taliban country despite the presence of over 100,000 U.S. and NATO troops while U.S. president Barack Obama has approved to send additional 13,000 troops to curb the deteriorating situation.

Source:Xinhua