By Jonathon Burch
KABUL (Reuters) - U.S. troops have pulled out of a remoteoutpost in northeastern Afghanistan, NATO-led security forcesaid on Wednesday, three days after Taliban militants tried tooverrun the base and killed nine U.S. soldiers.
NATO played down the significance of the withdrawal, butTaliban militants are sure to claim victory in driving foreignforces out of the wooded valley, close to the Pakistani border.
Taliban militants briefly breached the incomplete defencesof the newly established base in the Wanat district of Kunarprovince on Sunday and hours of fierce fighting ensued thatkilled nine U.S. soldiers and many more insurgents.
It was the biggest single loss of life for U.S. forces inAfghanistan since 2005.
"We can confirm that a temporary outpost which wasestablished in the village of Wanat has been removed," saidNATO spokesman Mark Laity. "We will continue to patrol thevillage along with the ANA (Afghan National Army)." Askedwhether the pull-out was related to Sunday's attack, Laityplayed down any link.
"Such posts are established and removed when they are notserving a purpose," he said.
Afghan soldiers killed seven militants in clashes in thesame area on Tuesday. The assault on the base came less thantwo weeks after U.S. coalition aircraft carried out airstrikesclose by that Afghan officials said killed about 15 civilians.
"The citizens in Wanat and northern Kunar province can beassured that ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) andANSF (Afghan National Security Forces) are going to continuewith a strong presence in the area," an ISAF statement said onWednesday.
Provincial officials said foreign airstrikes killed ninecivilians from one family in western Farah province on Tuesday.
The issue of civilian casualties is undermining support forinternational forces' continued presence in the country.
"I am aware that nine people were killed in a foreigntroops' air assault last night, but I don't know who the deadpeople are," the provincial police chief General KhalilullahRahmani told Reuters, adding that an investigation team was onits way to assess the situation.
The district governor confirmed the incident and said fourwomen, four girls and an eight-year-old boy were killed in thebombing.
Also on Tuesday, the Taliban kidnapped three judges inLogar province south of Kabul, the provincial governor,Abdullah Wardak, said.
(Writing by Jonathon Burch; Editing by David Fogarty)
