Afghan suicide blast kills 3 Indians and 1 Afghan

In a separate incident, 24 Taliban were killed in a jointoperation by Afghan and foreign troops in Zabul province onFriday night, deputy provincial governor Gulab Shah Alikheiltold reporters.

Intermittent violence has broken out in different parts ofAfghanistan in recent weeks following a traditional winterlull.

The suicide attack on the road crew was in the remotesouthwestern province of Nimroz, said provincial governorGhulam Dastagir Azad.

"The bomber got out of a car and then blew himself up,"Azad told Reuters. Three Indians and an Afghan were killed andthree people wounded, the Interior Ministry said.

A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility, thePakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press news agency reported.

Ousted in 2001, the Taliban are fighting to expel foreignforces and bring down Afghanistan's Western-backed government.

Their insurgency, which has intensified over the past twoyears, includes attacks on reconstruction and aid work that thegovernment and its allies hope will win over the people andisolate the insurgent leadership.

Most of the violence is in the south and east, near theborder with Pakistan where the Taliban have sanctuaries inremote tribal areas.

Seventeen Afghan road workers were killed in a Talibanattack in the southern province of Zabul on Tuesday.

Zabul deputy governor Gulab Shah Alikheil told reporters 24Taliban were killed in a ground and air attack by Afghan andforeign troops on Friday night.

There were no casualties among the Afghan and foreignforces, he said.

(Additional reporting by Ismail Sameem; Writing by SayedSalahuddin; Editing by Robert Birsel and Bill Tarrant)