Afghan bomb attack on NATO convoy kills eight

There was no claim of responsibility, but the Taliban havevowed to step up their war to expel foreign troops and bringdown the Western-backed government. Intermittent fighting hasbeen picking up recently after a traditional winter lull.

Among those killed in the blast were three children of aroadside vendor, the Interior Ministry said.

Kandahar police chief Sayed Aqa Saqib initially said noneof the soldiers in the NATO convoy was hurt as the bomber setoff his explosives just after it had passed. But the InteriorMinistry later said three Canadian soldiers were wounded.

The NATO-led force, which has 47,000 troops in Afghanistansaid three soldiers were slightly wounded but did not givetheir nationality.

"ISAF troops immediately responded to calls for assistance,airlifting the injured to a hospital for treatment and securingthe area," NATO said, referring to its International SecurityAssistance Force.

Saqib said eight people had been killed but the InteriorMinistry said the death toll was five. NATO said it had reportsof nine dead. Two policemen were wounded.

Despite the presence of about 60,000 foreign soldiers ledby NATO and the U.S. military, as well as 140,000 Afghan troopsand police, the Taliban have made a comeback in the past twoyears and more than 11,000 people have been killed in violence.

Most of the violence has been in the south and east, inethnic Pashtun areas near the Pakistani border, but attackshave also been taking place in the north and west, which havebeen generally peaceful.

An armed forces spokesman in Germany said a suicide bomberattacked a German patrol in northern Afghanistan on Wednesday.None of the Germans was killed or wounded.

(Writing by Sayed Salahuddin; Editing by Robert Birsel)